Anthropology of Northwest
Native Peoples
COMM 3843
Report on Northwest University's Travel Course to Canada
September 2007
 

 "How wonderful to be wise,
      to analyze and interpret things.
   Wisdom lights up a person’s face,
      softening its harshness."

Ecclesiastes 8: 1
 Bible verse for Sunday Morning devotional

Overview 

For the third time the Northwest University Communication Department offered Anthropology of Northwest Native Peoples COMM 3483) during three Saturdays in September on the Kirkland, Washington campus and for a field study trip to Canada from the 21st to 24th. 

The focus of the course was to explore anthropological and ethnographic principles from the perspective of native people groups of the Pacific Northwest.

The course permitted students to be exposed to the scholarship of Forrest Inslee. Forrest wrote a Master’s thesis on northwest native peoples and his PhD in cultural ethnography and until he became a Professor in the Graduate School of Psychology, he was one of our most popular communication professors. 

Course description:

"This course explores contemporary Native American groups of the Pacific Northwest, paying particular attention to the ways that expressive forms serve as a “lenses” into multiple dimensions of culture. The course relies heavily on fieldwork, including observation of cultural art and artifacts. In particular, the course is oriented around these issues: How do native peoples communicate essential components of their cultures-- to themselves and to people outside their culture group – through traditional and contemporary expressive forms? How does art reflect, reify, and re-create worldview, and how is this significant in our globalizing, postmodern cultural context?" 

Professor Gary Gillespie served as field study coordinator, organizing the logistical details for the travel portion in Canada.

In addition to Gillespie and Inslee, Professor Suzan Kobashigawa attended the travel portion and served as a lecturer on Native Hawaiian and driver of one of the vans.

Fourteen students enrolled in the course and were challenged by an intensive learning experience that included 14 hours of classroom instruction or lectures and more than 25 hours of field investigation and directed independent research. The aunt of one student paid full fees to accompany her daughter. One student, a local high school teacher, audited the course.

The textbook was: The First Nations of British Columbia: An Anthropological Survey, by Robert J. Muckle 

Assignments included five reports on research, a speech reporting on student projects and a final term research paper.

In addition to lectures by Forrest Inslee, students heard from:

• Suzan Kobashigawa on her work with reviving the traditional language of the Tualip people.

• University of British Columbia Anthropology Museum Lecturer

• Cowichan Tribal Heritage Center Curator.

• Makah Nation expert. 

Students also watched two films on native culture and were assigned to make observations of artifacts in the two best museums devoted to the subject in the world – the UBC Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver and the Royal BC Provincial Museum in Victoria. 

Another field outing took students to ancient fishing sites and the Quw'utsun' Cultural Centre in Duncan, BC. After a salmon lunch, we watched a Cowichan dance performance. Before returning to Victoria, students spoke to the dancers and learned more about native culture and art.

In addition, students were assigned to speak to native people personally to gain insights on course content. Students were assigned to view exhibits at the University of Washington's Burke Museum in Seattle as well.

Student Comments about the 2007 course

Actual Itinerary for Canadian Quest

Friday 21
7:50 AM -- meet at the 6710 Building in Kirkland. We will have a crucial briefing at 8 AM and depart immediately after. Drivers will be given maps.
8:45 AM -- stopped to pick up a student at the Marysville McDonalds.  
9:00 AM -- stop at Arlington rest stop.
10:30 AM -- arrive border. Be ready to show passports or proof of citizenship.
11:45 AM -- Lunch included in your fees. Coffee and tea, water included, but soft drinks are extra. Shaughnessy Restaurant, Oak Street and 37th Avenue, http://www.shaughnessyrestaurant.com/home_main.html  604-261-0011
Depart lunch 1 PM.
1: 15 PM -- Arrive UBC Museum of Anthropology. Drivers need Loonies to pay the parking meters. Take advantage of one of the best museums of its kind in the world. Be a keen observers of details. inside and out. Bring a sketch book to copy the art and take notes. UBC Anthropological Museum
Museum of Anthropology, at the University of British Columbia
6393 N.W. Marine Drive, Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z2.

3:15 PM -- meet at vans to depart for BC Ferries, arrive 4:30 PM.
Vancouver - Victoria (Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay) 5 PM sailing
http://www.bcferries.com/schedules/mainland/tssw-current.html Once on the ferry be sure you remember where the van is parked so you won't get lost when we arrive. Dinner on the Ferry on your own in the cafe or the really nice $20 buffet dinner top deck in front of ship. When we arrive, we will drive about 30 minutes south to the city center.

7 PM -- Arrive at the Carlton Plaza. Help the driver. Going south on Douglas, turn right at Pandora, then the very next block turn left, then left again and you will see the hotel. Try to stop in front and let students out. Take all luggage since the van will not be easily available. Go into the hotel and sit in the lobby lounge and relax. It will take about 20 minutes before we get our keys, so relax and have fun. Bellmen will take the vans and cars. Car drivers need to tip the bellmen. If you want to walk around town, go in groups. No student should walk around by themselves. But, it is safe and really cool to explore.
Best Western Carlton Plaza Victoria Hotel
642 Johnson Street, Victoria , British Columbia, Canada V8W 1M6
(250) 388-5513 http://www.bestwesterncarltonplazahotel.com/

Saturday 22
8 AM -- breakfast on your own. The hotel has a restaurant. The coffee shop across the street is available. There are several places down Government street for great traditional breakfasts. Get up early and enjoy a relaxed meal to get ready for the day.
9:30 AM -- meet in lobby lounge to depart for Royal BC Museum. Ware comfortable shoes. Arrive about 10 AM. Royal BC Museum, 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC, CANADA V8W 9W2, 250.356.7226.
12 PM -- free for the rest of the day to explore Victoria or work on your assignments. See tourist visitors center on water front for ideas.  Lunch and dinner on your own.
2:30 -- optional tour of Butchart Gardens.

Sunday 23
7:30 AM -- Breakfast on your own.
9:00 AM -- Bible Devotions in Forrest's room led by student David Myers.
10:00 AM -- Meet in lobby to depart for Cowichan Cultural center in town of Duncan.
Quw'utsun' Cultural and Conference Centre, 200 Cowichan Way, Duncan, British Columbia, CANADA V9L 6P4 Toll Free: 1-877-746-8119. Phone: (250) 746-8119. Website: www.quwutsun.ca
11:30 AM arrive Quwutsun Center for tour, film and lunch. After lunch native dance and lecture.
3:00 PM depart back to Victoria. Scenic drive through Cowachin Bay. Arrive back at hotel about 4:30 PM. Dinner on your own. Van drivers gas up.
7:00 PM -- Meet in Dr. Inslee's room for oral reports on your projects.

Monday 24
7 AM -- Breakfast on your own.
9:00 AM -- Meet in lobby with luggage to depart for Washington State Ferries in Sydney, arrive 10 AM for 11:20 AM departure.  1.888.808.7977. Lunch included in your fees. You will be provided sandwiches and soft drinks. Arrive Anacortes 2:30. It will take about one hour to go through customes and here is when you will need proof of citizenship.
4:00 PM -- Arrive back in Kirkland about.

Top two student papers to be posted on Headwaters. Watch here for photos and student responses.

Student Comments about the 2007 course

Hello Gary,

Thank you for organizing and orchestrating every little detail of our fabulous weekend trip to BC.  What an amazing time!  I have been personally impacted by all that we learned. Thank you for all you do for the Lord,

God bless,

Patti, LEAP Student
 

Hello Gary Gillespie,

The B.C. trip was amazing.  It has deepened my understanding about Northwest history and the first people.  Thank you for many fantastic memories.  I have attached some photos...enjoy. 

All comments from Students in the 2007 course

LEAP students enjoy lunch at Van Dusen Gardens in Vancouver

Butchart Gardens

                    Cowichan Dancer

   Totem on the way to Duncan

                               UBC Museum of Anthropology

   At Cowichan

First Nations Dancers with Profs Gillespie and Inslee

At Butchart Gardens

                                  Class of 2007

Empress Hotel

Plan to Join Us for the Fourth Annual Northwest Native Peoples class next fall 2008

Native Peoples of Hawaii is in the works as well for March 2009