James Teit writing in CJ

[Theresa Kishkan]

James Teil was an amazing man. He came to Canada from the Shetland Islands in 1884 and settled in Spences Bridge where he married Susanna Lucy Antko in the 1890s.`Boas met Teit in the 1890s and solicited his assistance with fieldwork. I think the book Leanne mentioned, the rock painting one, was the first one he was responsible for -- published by the American Museum of Natural History in 1896. He participated in the Jesup North Pacific Expedition fieldwork through the Chilcotin to Bella Coola. Susanna died of t.b. and he married Josephine Morens,  the daughter of a local rancher, with whom he had a number of children -- I met Sigurd Teit in the late 1990s while researching material in the Nicola Valley for my novel, Sisters of Grass (Teit has a little role in the novel...!). James Teit published ethnographies of the Thompson, Shuswap and Lillooet peoples as well as a number of monographs on baskets, tattoos, mythology. He was an early advocate for native rights, helping the Allied Tribes of the Interior with presentations to various prime ministers, from Laurier to Borden. He made a number of trips to Ottawa between 1912-16 to act as interpreter and expert witness, notably in 1914 before the Royal Commission on Indian Affairs and also for land claims cases. He photographed Interior Salish people extensively -- see the Canadian Museum of Civilization Mercury Series Paper 111, for example -- and worked for the Canadian Geological Survey.

I haven't nearly done him justice here but wanted to contribute a little something for those who don't know his work or reputation. There's a lovely memorial stature of him on the banks of the Thompson River at Spences Bridge.

Theresa Kishkan

***********
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Leanne Riding 
  To: CHINOOK at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG 
  Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 1:53 PM
  Subject: Re: James Teit writing in CJ


  I have heard of him before, but had never got around to finding out
  what he is all about. He is well known to historically-inclined
  people in the Interior, though (which is how I have heard of him).

  On Tuesday, August 31, 2004, at 09:19 , Bernard Schulmann wrote:

  > Are people familiar with who James Teit was and his role in the
  > interior of BC both as an ethnographer and advocate for aborignal
  > rights?
  >
  > Bernard
  >

  To respond to the CHINOOK list, click 'REPLY ALL'.  To respond privately to the sender of a message, click 'REPLY'.  Hayu masi!
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