The lesson introduces students to archaeology as a way of knowing the “deep history” of the Salish Sea and presents a brief review of the archaeology of the region. We also discuss the importance of this history to modern peoples today, including the necessity for archaeologists to collaborate with Indigenous communities.
The exercise is aimed to help students explain the basic chronology of culture history in the Salish Sea and identify important local archaeological sites and/or traditional cultural places on both sides of the international border.
A field trip to a local museum allows students to interact with and learn from material items from the Salish Sea and also encourages students to think about the ethics of museum representation and Indigenous collaboration.
This hybrid course was co-taught by a historian and an anthropologist. Class meetings were online via Zoom and in person for field trips. The quarter-long project involved working with a Geographic Information System (GIS) specialist to develop a Story Map about the Whatcom Creek Watershed.
