Cochimi, A Thin Slice
Introduction. . .
A quick look at Cochimi
Lifestyle and Entomology
Very little is known about the Cochimi people of central Baja and almost all of what we do know is derived from the reports and other writings generated by the Jesuit missionaries who came to Baja in 1697.
There is one resource however, that if examined, might allow you to open a small window and peer into certain aspects of the Cochimi peoples lives. . . and that is the rock art that is found in profusion (if you know where to look) in the territory inhabited by them.
Sometimes, when you visit friends and acquaintances, and have the need to visit their bathroom, do you take the opportunity to open the medicine cabinet door and have a quick peek at what’s inside? Many people do. . . and why is that? What makes us look at those items tucked away in the cabinet? Hmm! What are we actually doing?
Many people asked these questions probably can’t answer them . . . Can you?
I propose that what you are doing is taking a “thin slice” of what it is that makes up the persona of the person who owns the medicine cabinet. Some folks will say that in doing so you’re being just plain nosey, others will say that in doing you learn a little more about the cabinet owners life and “what makes them tick”.
Malcolm Gladwell in his book entitled Blink, talks about the Adaptive Unconscious being that part of our mind that works in the background like a giant computer. This computer then, quickly processes a lot of data from our senses that allow us to keep functioning as a human being. He gives the example of walking out into the street to find a truck rapidly bearing down on you. Do you have time to think about all your options? Of course you don’t. The only way we as humans could ever have survived as a species for as long as we have is that we’ve developed another kind of decision making apparatus that’s capable of making quick judgements based on very little information. Sometimes you have to determine what information is important and what is just noise. Our adaptive unconscious does this and allows us to rapidly take “a Thin Slice” of the incoming information. We then react to this edited information, often within milliseconds.
What I hope to do here then is to provide snippets of information about the Cochimi that will provide an ever-so-thin slice about how they used their tools, what was important to them, who they were, where they lived and traveled and, in essence, how they lived. I’ll take a quick look at their rock art and other evidence. . . or, a quick look into their medicine cabinet so to speak. If after reading you find yourself with a barrage of unanswered questions. . . maybe you’ll be inspired to go out, wander through the arroyos, faldas and bajadas, seek and find examples of Cochimi rock art, develop your own questions and find the answers. I know I did! Maybe I’ll see you there!