PACIFIC NORTHWEST HISTORIANS GUILD
NORTHWEST HISTORIAN Newsletter
April, 2004
Help get the word out to your friends and colleagues about our 2005 Conference
TRAILS, TREATIES AND TRANSITIONS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST: A TIME
FOR RECONSIDERATION. We've sent conference announcements to most of the HLists online, as well as some of the heritage newsletters and we are already getting
proposals from in and out of state.
We are trying to get the word out early so people have time to do new research
to present and so that folks also have time to put together panels and work with their
panelists through the year to develop their sessions. We want to make sure we have
Indian participation in a topic that addresses the history of their land so if you want to
suggest a panel and need help making contacts in Indian country I would be happy to
help.
Some of you may know I curated REMEMBERING MEDICINE CREEK at the
WA State History Museum in Tacoma (we borrowed the Medicine Creek Treaty from
the National Archives for a month) and what I noticed was a keen interest on the part of
Indian and non-Indians to get a fuller picture of nineteenth century history of our state.
This is really what this conference is about. We are trying to put together a multidimensional picture and provide a forum for discussion among people with differing
expertise and interests.
So we need presentations that set the stage for what came before, what was to
come and we hope how this all plays out today. An understanding of Indian and EuroAmerican world views regarding land and ownership is essential. We need
presentations on HBC history. On a personal note I would be very enthusiastic to have
someone present a reconsideration of Ezra Meeker as commentator on his times. We
also need demographic studies of the Pacific Northwest, as well as presentations on the
economics of the times - figures often help point the way for interesting research by
others. We want the conference to inspire participants to do more work in this area We
would also like to include a presentation by archivists and researchers on where to
begin researching, where the papers are, where the people that need to be interviewed
are for future research. For example Indian women played important roles in the
Washington fish wars of the 70s but these stories are not gathered anywhere and some
of these important figures are passing. And we are also considering non-traditional
presentations - if you are a teacher would you consider working with your students and
developing an online exhibit or presentation for the conference? We will continue
updating you on conference planning in future newsletters. Conference Program Chair:
Maria Pascualy (Contact information: mp1955@comcast.net or 206/632-7910)