the Digger

 

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Nanaimo Branch Winter 2001

The Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture has been dissolved. This ministry oversaw the Archaeology Branch and the Heritage Branch. The Archaeology Branch is now part of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (Land and Resource Registries) and the Heritage Branch is part of the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services. The Heritage Branch administers the Crown Corporation BC Heritage Trust. The Trust was established over 20 years ago to guarantee preservation, conservation and public access to the province's heritage. The Archaeological Society of BC, the BC Historical Federation, the Heritage Society of BC, the Underwater Archaeological Society of BC and many other non-profit societies, local governments, First Nations bands, and various other groups receive funding and support for their endeavours through the Trust's Community Heritage Investment Programs. This ministry incorporated the Archaeology Branch and the Heritage Branch. Both branches were housed in the same building on Johnson St. and worked well together. They have now been separated into different ministries and different locations. How much does such a move cost? How will this serve/improve the interests of heritage?

The provincial government has replaced the BC Heritage Board with two assistant deputy ministers, David Richardson [Community Services and Culture] and Dale Wall [Local Government], while the government reviews the role and mandate of the Heritage Trust. The eight members of the Heritage Board represented the full range of groups with a heritage interest and a wide geographic base. Will the members of the defunct board be part of the government's review panel? Without a representative community-based board, how will the Trust and the Ministry maintain a connection to the people of the province? How will the government replace the wide-ranging expertise that the Board provided? Without this knowledge, future community projects will be severely limited.

Heritage benefits local communities as well as provincial and federal coffers. BC contributes less to heritage than any other province or territory in Canada, "what was 10 years ago a 3 million dollar contribution to community projects is now $750,000 annually" (Anne Edwards, former chair of the Heritage Trust). Will the elimination of the $150,000 required to administer the Heritage Trust board really save the province money? "In every community where the Trust invests one dollar, at least four more are generated. The BC Heritage Trust is an engine of renewal and economic well-being everywhere it participates" (Colin Brown, former BC Heritage Trust Board member). The ASBC has been assisted by BC Heritage Trust in fulfilling its mandate by providing funding for projects, including Nanaimo's archaeological site survey.

Will the government maintain its concern for culture now that the word culture has been eliminated from the ministry's title? Will there be sufficient support to allow the various organisations to continue to communicate with their members and the general public (e.g., the Archaeological Society of British Columbia's publication The Midden)?

The outcome of this review will affect all BC residents. If you value heritage we urge you to contact Premier Campbell, George Abbott (Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services), Stan Hagen (Minister of Sustainable Resource Management), your MLA [online http://www.gov.bc.ca/bcgov/popt/mlalookup/], and your local newspaper. We would appreciate a copy of any letters you write.

For further information we recommend the following website:

http://goldrushbc.com/heritagetrust.htm

 

Bones, Totems and Middens

2001/02 ASBC-Nanaimo Branch Lecture Series

All lectures are held at Malaspina University-College in the Education/Social Sciences Building (356) in Room 111 from 7-9 PM. Lectures are open to everyone. Membership for the year (includes the full lecture series and the quarterly publication The Midden) is as follows: $24 Family, $19 Individual, and $14 Student/Senior. Non-members will be asked to pay $5.00 per lecture at the door. Refreshments are available.

 

February 8, 2002

SPEAKER: Chris Arnett

TITLE: Perception and Reality: Euro-Canadian and First Nations Perspectives on the Rock-Art of the British Columbia Interior

Using examples from a number of sites in the British Columbia Interior, Chris Arnett will compare and contrast First Nations perspectives of rock-art with those of Euro-Canadian research methodologies. Discussion will focus on attempts by Euro-Canadian researchers to "read’ rock-art based on "what they want to see" as opposed to "what is there." In addition, Mr. Arnett will touch upon recent advances in rock-art methodology and analysis which point the way to a reconciliation of perspectives leading towards a deeper understanding and appreciation of form and meaning.

Chris Arnett is an art historian who has been researching and photographing the rock-art of Salishan-speaking people since 1985. In 1993 he co-authored a book, with Annie York and Richard Daly, on N’lakapamux rock-art entitled, They Write Their Dreams on the Rock Forever: Rock Writings of the Stein River Valley, British Columbia (Talonbooks, Vancouver). He is currently at work on a comprehensive study of Salishan rock-art covering over four hundred sites found within fourteen traditional territories.

 

March 8, 2002

SPEAKER: Dr. Steven Earle

TITLE: Recent Sea Level Changes in British Columbia

Coastal British Columbia has been affected by dramatic shifts in relative sea level since the start of the last glacial retreat; firstly because water levels rose rapidly as the ice melted, and secondly because the continental crust sprang back slowly in response to the decreased ice load. The geological evidence for and explanation of these events will be presented and discussed, along with some details on the extent of the initial inundation of areas that are now land, and the extent of exposure of areas that are now submerged. Implications for archaeological studies on Vancouver Island will be considered.

Steven Earle has a BSc (UBC) and a PhD (London, UK), and has worked as a geologist since 1978. He teaches geology at Malaspina University-College. He has a particular interest in issues related to environmental geology, such as groundwater geochemistry, surface water supplies and quality, geological resources, the incidence and effects of earthquakes in this region, glaciation and post-glacial sea-level fluctuations. He is also strongly committed to communicating geological ideas and issues to the public.

 

April 12, 2002

SPEAKER: Michael Klassen

TITLE: Spirit Images, Medicine Rocks: The Rock Art of Alberta

For the aboriginal people of the Great Plains, rock art sites have always been sacred places - petroglyphs and pictographs are spirit images drawn on medicine rocks, connecting the corporeal and spirit worlds. A great concentration of rock art in southern Alberta are found hidden in secluded canyons high in the Rockies; red ochre smeared across the faces of huge glacial erratics in the foothills; enigmatic symbols painted in sandstone caves found in prairie coulees. By studying patterns in the form and distribution of Alberta rock art, we can see relationships, which illuminate the historical and cultural origins of these images. By exploring the relationship of rock art to its cultural and physical context, we also can begin to understand its place in ritual and the sacred landscape.

Michael Klassen received his BA, Anthropology, from U of Alberta, and his MA, Anthropology, from Trent University. He was first introduced to rock art research while working at the Archaeological Survey of Alberta. Michael later undertook an inventory of rock art sites in Alberta, and conducted his MA thesis research at Writing-On-Stone. Since 1995 he has been working as a heritage consultant in BC (based in Vancouver), and continues to be actively involved in rock art research in Alberta and BC. He is co-author of Plains Indian Rock Art (University of Washington Press, 2001), the first overview and synthesis of Plains rock art traditions.

 

May 10, 2002

SPEAKER: Dr. C.S. "Rufus" Churcher

TITLE: Evidence of Climate and Human Activities in the Dakhleh Oasis, Western Desert of Egypt.

Questions of whether the last Neolithic people were coeval with early Old Kingdom Pharaonic Egyptians, and if either group possessed domesticated sheep will be discussed. This also includes whether goats, cattle, and asses were domesticated and part of the middle and later Neolithic peoples' culture or simply a component of the local wild fauna. The Quaternary fauna of northeast Africa resembles that found today in East Africa, specifically large herbivores and carnivores, with taxa falling out over time, probably due to changing climate and hunting pressures of humans.

C.S. "Rufus" Churcher is a professor emeritus from the University of Toronto, Zoology, and research associate emeritus of the Royal Ontario Museum, Palaeobiology. His fields are comparative vertebrate anatomy and morphology, mammalian taxonomy, evolution, Quaternary palaeontology and archaeozoology. He has done fieldwork in the Canadian Prairies, southern Ontario, Egypt, East & South Africa, and South America.

 

updates

Lecture Cancellation

The December lecture by Dr. Gay Frederick was rescheduled for January 11, 2002. Dr. Frederick discussed the 1999 and 2000 Tseshaht Archaeological Project excavations at Ts'ishaa Village on Benson Island, Barkley Sound, BC (DfSi 16). She discovered evidence of the hunting of fur seals in Barkley Sound over the past 2000 years. The fur seal remains from this site include a number of individuals classed as young juveniles. This presentation explored the implications of the presence of juveniles in the archaeological sample in terms of precontact Barkley Sound fur seal population structure, pupping habits, migratory behaviour, species affiliation and interaction with human populations. This work was originally presented at the 2001 Canadian Archaeological Association annual meeting with co-authors Susan Crockford and Becky Wigen.

Thanks to Dr. Frederick for a most stimulating lecture and discussion.

 

CMT Fieldtrip

Our fieldtrip to Colliery Dam November 10, 2001 to investigate the area's Culturally Modified Trees (CMTs) with archaeologist Brian Pegg was a great success. Although these bark-stripped trees were modified fairly recently, they provided evidence of this continuing traditional native practice. Fortunately, the weather was on our side, and we had a great turnout. Thanks to Brian and everyone who participated.

 

Call for Newsletter Submissions

Do you have an interesting archaeological anecdote you'd like to share? Are you a student who likes to write short archaeological articles? Or perhaps you have an interesting photo or two from your most recent trip to a foreign archaeological site? If so, The Digger wants you! Newsletter submissions are always welcome. The cut-off date for submissions for the April issue is early to mid-March. Please contact our newsletter editor at asbcnb@nisa.net or 758-4319.

  

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NANAIMO HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Lectures held 7:30 p.m. @ Bowen Park Recreation Complex

February 14 Dr. Stephen Davies LETTERS FROM THE WARS Correspondence and photographs between Canadians.

March 14 Shirley Bateman Topic TBA Followed by the AGM.

April 11 Anne Royle RUM, FURS, GUNPOWDER AND LIFE ON THE WILD WEST COAST

A humorous insight into some colourful local characters.

May 9 Sid Baker PACIFIC HOME CHILDREN A former "home child", the author will relate his experiences.

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NOTE: If you are storing anything that belongs to the Society (equipment, books,

documents, photographs, maps) please contact Lorrie at 754 - 6862 or

<lalo@shaw.ca>, we now have a place to stow them. Many thanks.

 

 

 

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