Rescuing Peruvian Hidden Past

Interview:



My name is Daniel Fernandez-Davila. I am a Peruvian archaeologist, a teacher in Massachusetts and for many years an explorer in one of the most remote areas of Peru, the north high jungle of the Chachapoyas. I have seen amazing cliffs with pristine mummy bundles that no one has touched, pre-inca towers atop forgotten peaks and spectacular carvings and paintings no one else knew existed. I truly struggle as an archaeologist  every time that a local peasant tells me: " Daniel, stay longer,  there is another huge tower there, and another mausoleum over there and that cave has paintings over there. Are you going to come?" I try to reply kindly: I will, I promise, I'll try to go next year. (I've been coming already for 21 years).
However, I only can take a photo and move on thinking: "How could I possibly save all these treasures for my own country and for the next generations to come?"
The moisture of the jungle will destroy these treasures at a fast rate and there is not too much I can do about it. How could I save them for the local students, for the communities, so they can have records of their own legacy?  Ultimately, these belong to them, these treasures are part of their ancestral history.

This year for the first time I decided to take action. I'll start small. One treasure at a time.
This year I want to scan in 3D a large monolith with carvings that was found in the jungle.  There might be two more monoliths in the area as well. The rain is eroding very fast the carvings, soon they will fade away. In order to achieve my goal I will hire an engineer with 3D portable deep laser scanners to digitize the whole monolith and reveal its complex carvings.
If I am successful, I will create images and drawings I can give to the Local Museum of Leymebamba and I will also share them with the communities of peasants around the monolith. If this small goal works it will be inspirational for me!.
Please, help me to preserve the past for others.
The project will cost $10500
$7000 will go to the scanning company and the remaining money will be for tickets to and out of Peru for the engineer and other costs of the expedition to get to the monolith (we need to hike and ride horses for two days to get there!).
I will keep updating you with the progress of our mission, publications or articles if this project is funded.

Please feel free to google Daniel Fernandez-Davila
Wayland or Loose change or Archaeology.
Here a couple of links of my work, thank you so much for reading this!
Daniel FD
LINKS:

http://archive.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/08/26/taking_a_library_to_the_andes/ 

https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/x989343091 

http://www.wickedlocal.com/x1194181709/Unsung-Hero-Awards-presented-at-Wayland-High-School 

https://patch.com/massachusetts/wayland/report-from-peru-what-wayland-s-loose-change-accomplished 

http://www.tec-coop.org/sites/default/files/AncientCivs.pdf 

http://www.tec-coop.org/sites/default/files/PD-Sum14-ExpandGlobalComm.pdf 

I do expeditions to the area with students in order to create cultural bridges between Peru and USA.



Minute 3:50 and on. I also try to inspire others to follow their passions, explore the world and give them a reason to keep going.



It is really really far! But this is where they need more help and this is where the best treasures are hidden.



Me and two local people just taking notes and measuring the monolith.