Day 5 - Under Pressure

The morning began with Greg’s technical, and yet powerfully thoughtful, presentation on the pressure cooker and how it revolutionized the speed of cooking, subsequently freeing 20^th century housewives’ time for otheractivities – like laundry. The carefully illustrated details of the high heat and intensity of the PC’s mechanics were a poignant precursor to the discussions to follow.

While Alex and Maura provided background on the intricacies of the mortar and pestle and its successor, the hammer mill (demonstrating some compelling linkages between women and labor intensive work), our class was joined by the striking guest speaker, Michela Zucca.

With a flowing mane of dark curls and pile of rings on each finger, Michela’s eyes narrowed as the technicalities of the hammer mill were explained. When the presentation ended, she was quick to ask – “Why the hammer mill? Why didn’t you chose something more effective and efficient – like water mills?” Maura’s hackles were raised. Clearly this was a woman with no fear of altercation.

As Alex and Maura returned to their seats, Onita began her presentation on tea, providing an overview on the history of the commodity’s production and chronicles associated with the culture surrounding its consumption.

Finally, it was Michela’s turn to take the stage; her topic – the History of Agriculture: Women’s Place in Prehistorical Societies. Now that may not sound all that interesting to some, but I can safely say, it was one of the most animated presentations I have ever witnessed.

An evident proponent of a militaristic take on the Socratic method, Michela fired out questions – “How old are humans? Huh? Huh? What did they eat? How did they get it? What did they poop?” Looking around the room with her eyebrows raised and her cool eyes lined in sparkly blue eyeliner she was a commanding figure and most of us timidly shrank from her bold questions. Eventually, a few of the braver students offered hesitant suggestions. Almost all were met with a high pitched “What?” and a series of follow up questions to belittle the answer striping it of any legitimacy. This was generally followed, either an emphatic “Bullsh*t” or guttural “Baaah,” strangely evocative of the signature retort of the early Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady.”

Her strategy was unconventional, shocking even, to those of us accustomed to having thoughts heard, and at least respected if not validified. And yet, there was method to her madness. Her message was clear, and in spite of the delivery, or maybe in someways because of her forcefulness, her reasoning sank in.

The earliest prehistoric societies were not hunter gatherers as most of us have been taught – what would they hunt with? Rather, they practiced agriculture. Even as weapons and tools evolved, it was not always the women who gathered and the men who hunted. Archeological evidence points to early women hunters, indicating that in prehistoric times, women and men worked together to provide for themselves and their families.

Michela challenged our preconceptions and stretched the framework of our understanding; some of her ideas were extreme, and her comportment was unquestionably eccentric, and yet she highlighted the value of asking hard questions, and the need to always think critically.