For this blog post I want to focus on the barter markets that are talked about in Argumedo and Pimbert’s text: “Bypassing Globalization: Barter markets as a new indigenous economy in Peru”. I first want to start by saying that I loved this reading! I found it quite inspiring and it reminded me of what my neighbourhood used to do a while back. We would gather what we no longer used; for example, appliances, furniture, clothing, etc., and we would all exchange our goods. It was always such a fun experience (especially for us kids), and I think it really brought our neighbourhood together! Ironically, later on people started having garage sales instead, and our tradition of setting up our own little market ended there. 

Argumedo and Pimbert describe the barter markets as “not only a material exchange network, but also a symbolic and friendship network.” To tie in a keyword, I think these women at the barter markets must feel such a strong sense of agency because as Argumedo and Pimbert explain, the women who directly participate in these markets are those who make the rules and “administer the use of the foods in the households.” I also think it’s really interesting that the principles of reciprocity and solidarity serve as guides for these economic exchanges. In this (mostly) capitalist world, anything that doesn’t just solely focus on money makes me stop and think. Instead of focusing on profit, the women that participate in these barter markets focus on ensuring that the needs of people are met. I think these women are driven by the natural instinct in them to protect and support their community (the people and the land) by means of creating access to food security/nutrition and local control over production/consumption, as well as conserving the agricultural biodiversity.