Cultural Anthropology Research Paper
Christina Martinez
HCS 3102
Cultural Anthropology
Horowitz
Observing Hayes Valley in San Francisco I sat along the west wide of the Hayes Valley Park in San Francisco, on a cold damp cement park bench, around four-thirty on a Friday afternoon. The day was bright, with lingering clouds over head; a chilly breeze was passing through in mild to quick bursts. There were approximately twenty-five people who stayed at the park during the entire observation; a bit difficult to track everyone coming from many directions. To the south was a dome shaped, play area with climbing ropes attached. In the center was a four-sided bronze in color, metal art piece, installed into the cement. It had a metal tree atop it, and the metal was decorated with …show more content…
The people had age ranging from infancy to elderly, ethnic origins were predominantly Caucasian, few Asian and Hispanic, and a small amount of other groups walking by the park. The dogs were just as diverse as the humans, small to large, young to old, short haired to long locks of fur. The owners kept their dogs to the north grass section from the art piece, away from the children in the play area. This was the predominate “toilet” of the dogs, were there were many patches of yellow and brown grass from urination. Many owners were courteous to pick up the fecal matter, few just walked away ignoring the dog’s excrement. The individuals who came to the park at first to play with their dog, expected there was to be animal waste and were prepared, with small baggies, to pick up after their dog(s). Some of these individuals picked up the excrement of other dogs, as well as their dog’s waste, with the same bag; fully utilizing the capacity of the small thin plastic baggie. The few people with multiple dogs, released them from their leashes, to allow them to roam the small park area, in regards to marking their territory with urine. One large dog, of unknown breed, short orange brown hair, large in body size, urinated in close proximity to my seated location; the cool breeze carried the scent up to my nostrils, it was strong in ammonia content. Those individuals with only one dog, tend to keep them on a leash for the
HCS 3102
Cultural Anthropology
Horowitz
Observing Hayes Valley in San Francisco I sat along the west wide of the Hayes Valley Park in San Francisco, on a cold damp cement park bench, around four-thirty on a Friday afternoon. The day was bright, with lingering clouds over head; a chilly breeze was passing through in mild to quick bursts. There were approximately twenty-five people who stayed at the park during the entire observation; a bit difficult to track everyone coming from many directions. To the south was a dome shaped, play area with climbing ropes attached. In the center was a four-sided bronze in color, metal art piece, installed into the cement. It had a metal tree atop it, and the metal was decorated with …show more content…
The people had age ranging from infancy to elderly, ethnic origins were predominantly Caucasian, few Asian and Hispanic, and a small amount of other groups walking by the park. The dogs were just as diverse as the humans, small to large, young to old, short haired to long locks of fur. The owners kept their dogs to the north grass section from the art piece, away from the children in the play area. This was the predominate “toilet” of the dogs, were there were many patches of yellow and brown grass from urination. Many owners were courteous to pick up the fecal matter, few just walked away ignoring the dog’s excrement. The individuals who came to the park at first to play with their dog, expected there was to be animal waste and were prepared, with small baggies, to pick up after their dog(s). Some of these individuals picked up the excrement of other dogs, as well as their dog’s waste, with the same bag; fully utilizing the capacity of the small thin plastic baggie. The few people with multiple dogs, released them from their leashes, to allow them to roam the small park area, in regards to marking their territory with urine. One large dog, of unknown breed, short orange brown hair, large in body size, urinated in close proximity to my seated location; the cool breeze carried the scent up to my nostrils, it was strong in ammonia content. Those individuals with only one dog, tend to keep them on a leash for the