Haida Gwaii watershed above Sunday Inlet.
The Archaeological Society of British Columbia is a long-established society which promotes knowledge and conservation of BC Archaeology. The Victoria Chapter is particularly active (though they need to update their website and blog). They aim for a public lecture every month. There are also chapters in Nanaimo and Vancouver.
This month’s Victoria talk, which is free and open to the public, is:
Watersheds and Coastal Archaeology: A Northwest Coast Perspective.
Jan. 19, 2010, 7:30 pm Pacific Forestry Centre, 506 West Burnside Road.
Rich Hutchings
The watershed or basin has been considered a primary unit of analysis for hydrologists, geologists, ecologists, human geographers, and historians. On the Northwest Coast, the economic significance of riverine settlement has long been a central focus, yet it is only in the last decade that anthropologists have begun to contemplate the social, political and ideological implications of rivers, river edges, and, to a lesser degree, basins. In this lecture, I will explore the concept of watersheds as a unit of analysis for archaeologists working on the Coast. Specifically, I consider the notion of what I call ‘watershed identity’, the issue of territorial boundaries, and the social implications of changing basin landscapes. Finally, these issues are highlighted in relation to the increasing threat of coastal erosion and its impact on maritime heritage, a concern for archaeologists and communities alike in this region.
Biography: Rich Hutchings was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. Having trained and worked as a diver in the marine industry, Rich completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Idaho, Moscow. He then undertook research in the area of alluvial and coastal geoarchaeology on the Nooksack River, earning his Masters degree from Western Washington University, Bellingham in 2004. Rich is currently pursuing Doctoral research at the University of British Columbia, looking at maritime cultural landscapes, coastal erosion, and marine heritage management in the Sechelt area. For information, phone 384-6059 or e-mail asbcvictoria@gmail.com
Northwest Coast Archaeology 