Description
Irrigation ditches, also known as acequias, are an ancient water management system that transformed the semi-arid regions of the southwest into an ecosystem that supported stable agriculture and water sources. In this class, we learn about how this traditional “culture of water” rooted in historical customs effectively perpetuates the inextricable connection between water, land, and social practices as a model of sustainability and resiliency within local communities of the upper Rio Grande area.
Donatella Davanzo is an Italian American cultural anthropologist, photo-ethnographer, and photojournalist. She has a PhD in American Studies from UNM. Her research topics focus on the interaction of communities and their landscapes, and she documents historical sites, native villages, traditional practices, ritual dances, and Route 66.