University of Washington

The University of Washington prides itself on innovative scholarship and teaching. This past academic year, students had the chance to experience the past in a new way, outside the classroom, in Professor Josh Reid's course HSTAA 311: The Indigenous History and Environment of the Salish Sea. This unique course off ered students an immersive look at the history of the region and its environment, which has been home to and sustained Native peoples for thousands of years. For a full quarter, students were able to live in the place they studied, at the Friday Harbor Laboratories on beautiful San Juan Island. Reid explains how this hands-on approach is vitally important for the study of indigenous history. "When we study Native American history in the classroom, it can easily be framed in the safety of the past, when the reality is that many of these historical issues are ongoing and still aff ecting Native peoples." Being out in the fi eld, course participants could see and feel more deeply the continuing impact of historical decisions, such as the eff ects of commercial salmon farming on freshwater salmon in the Pacifi c Northwest. With this deep approach to the past, students were able to read about the history of the area and then go out and live in it! Activities included weekend trips to the Elwha and Salish nations, listening to and learning from elders, visiting fi sheries for a hands-on lesson in Native fi shing practices, and kayaking on the water, getting to experience the sea and learn about the geology of the sea beds. They also were able to study how many Native traditions have adapted and evolved over time, often because of external factors outside Native communities' control. One activity was to make a traditional hook to catch halibut. Students learned that these items would have originally been made of wood, then with prongs from a pitchfork, and are now made of brass. Experiences were designed to challenge the class to think critically about issues such as sovereignty and cultural appropriation and to refl ect on their own relationship with these complex topics. Victoria Jackson, a student in history and American Indian studies who took the course, explained, "No other history course has off ered me the opportunity to learn about a community of peoples from real life experience. My favorite and most impactful trip was getting to canoe with Swinomish tribal members in the Salish Sea." The Indigenous History and Environment of the Salish Sea course covers the region from pre-encounter times, starting 10,000-11,000 years ago, to the modern day. It is based on case studies that focus on themes including pre-encounter settlements, early encounters, contestations over resources, and lands and waters. For all involved this innovative approach to the past has been both an enjoyable and highly powerful experience. Reid hopes to off er the class again soon. F O S T E R I N G C O M M U N I T Y T H R O U G H L E A R N I N G : H U S K I E S M A K E H I S T O R Y In 2017-18, the Department of History launched Huskies Make History, a program designed to help history majors, and anyone interested in the fi eld, fi nd and build their departmental community, in the knowledge that an empathetic and engaged collegiate environment can have a big impact on individual success. Participants were asked to set career and educational goals and strategize collectively about how best to achieve them. They also attended panel discussions that covered diff erent aspects of studying history and potential career pathways for majors. One of the unique and rewarding parts of the program was the opportunity to learn from fellow history majors who acted as mentors during the panels. One of these mentors was the recent graduate Olivia Corti, who shared her experiences at the UW—both the highs and the lows—with students. Corti was excited for this opportunity. She explained, "I have been lucky enough to have amazing mentors in my life, so to be able to be that person for someone else was an opportunity I did not want to pass up." One thing she was particularly pleased to do was to address the concerns many students had about the career paths open to them as history majors. She noticed, and could empathize with, the fact that many had a deep desire to study the past but were unsure about where that could lead, especially in a job market that they are often told favors other disciplines. In terms of her own career, Corti will be attending graduate school at Columbia University's Teachers College and plans to pursue teaching and law in the future. More information on Huskies Make History can be found online at history.washington.edu/ courses/2018/autumn/hstry/499/c. NEW COURSE OFFERS IMMERSIVE LEARNING ON BEAUTIFUL SAN JUAN ISL AND PROFESSOR REID AND STUDENTS AT CAPE FLATTERY WITH JANINE LEDFORD, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAKAH CULTURAL AND RESEARCH CENTER HALF THE CLASS IN A SWINOMISH CANOE D E P A R T M E N T O F H I S T O R Y 5

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