Brown bag
Introduction
Speaker: Limingao, first-year PhD student in the Astrology Department
Acknowledgment Statement:
The Department of Anthropology acknowledges that the University of Wisconsin Medicine occupies lands of the Ho-Chunk Nation, referred to as "big jobs".
1932 Treaty: The Ho-Chunk were forced to abandon their land, followed by decades of unsuccessful colonial attempts to remove them from Wisconsin.
Commemoration of the Ho-Chunk and eleven other First Nations of Wisconsin.
Emphasis on the history of colonization as informing future collaboration and innovation among communities.
Encouragement to visit websites of First Nations of Wisconsin for more information.
Introduction of Dr. Sita Reddy
Dr. Sita Reddy:
A paleoethnobotanist and archaeologist.
Esteemed alumna of the UW Medicine Department of Anthropology.
Has worked on various projects in India, Jordan, and the USA.
Dissertation focused on crop processing and plant use, completed in 1994.
BA from Brighton University, MA and PhD from UW Medicine.
President of Reddy Anthropology Consultant, based in California.
Principal Investigator/Project Manager for over 15 archaeological and ethnographic studies in California.
Work areas include:
Paleoethnobotanical analysis
Settlement archaeology
Tribal engagement and ethnographic consultation under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Historic Preservation Act.
Extensive research with Native American tribes in California and traditional farming, pastoral, and hunter-gatherer communities in India.
Dr. Reddy's Recent Projects
Focus on identification and protection of Native American traditional cultural properties and tribal cultural resources.
Leadership roles include directing ethnographic studies for:
Patricot Reservoir Expansion Project
Link 21 Transportation Initiative
US Naval Investigation on Southern Channel Islands.
Presentation Structure
Dr. Reddy expresses gratitude for the invitation to speak, highlighting memories associated with the venue.
Transition to discussing her research on indigenous responses to colonization, specifically in California.
Indigenous Cultures and Colonization
Paradigm of Loss:
Long-held view that Native American cultures in California have been lost/extinct.
Historical narratives perpetuated by ethnographers, such as Kroger.
Environmental Change Paradigm:
Belief that colonization led to the rapid disappearance of wild plants due to the introduction of domesticated crops by the Spanish.
Objectives of Dr. Reddy's Research:
Examination of these paradigms, focusing on early colonial times in California.
Conducted within frameworks of state environmental laws (CEQA and NEPA).
10,000 years of Native American occupation history in California is emphasized.
The Colonization Period in California (1769-1834)
Beginning of Spanish colonization marked by the establishment of 21 missions from 1769 in San Diego to Sonoma.
Spanish Colonization Goals:
Enslave Native Americans and convert them into agriculturalists and patriotic Spanish citizens to pay taxes.
Impact on Native Americans:
Native peoples built and worked on the missions while experiencing high death rates due to disease, abuse, and inadequate nutrition due to forced communal living with disparate tribes.
Early 2010s efforts to revise the historical narrative around missions include acknowledgment of the harsh realities in mission life.
Archaeological Records and Mission Documentation
Mission records reveal detailed accounts of crop yields, animal husbandry, and demographics of Native peoples.
Use of mission records in Dr. Reddy's research to study:
Crop yields and livestock counts over time
Native names and village affiliations to understand cultural and linguistic diversity among tribes.
Case Study: Guaspet Native Village
Historical Context: (Los Angeles neck of the woods)
Proximity to LAX, documented Native American village of Guaspet.
Evidence of long-term habitation from over 8,000 years ago.
Archaeological focus on pre-colonial continuity of indigenous life despite colonial pressures.
Case Study: Excavations
Site LA-211:
Excavation of 364 human burials, extensive evidence of cultural practices.
Analysis of botanical remains indicating traditional practices, ritualistic behaviors, and ongoing community structures within a colonial landscape.
Comparison between domestic and ceremonial contexts of plant and animal remains.
Cultural Adaptation and Persistence
Despite heavy colonial efforts, indigenous cultures persist through:
Adaptation of European goods into native traditions (e.g., mixing indigenous and European beads).
Continuation of traditional mourning practices observed in features containing offerings and ritual items.
Notable ojects included:
Broken kumads, which symbolize mourning practices in Native cultures, discovered in ritual contexts.
European Goods and Exchange
Introduction of European materials into Native life:
Items acquired through labor in mission and neighboring villages, creating complex trade relationships.
Evidence of European goods interwoven into ceremonial practices suggests a blend of indigenous resilience and adaptation under colonial rule.
Implications for Future Research
Recent legislation in California elevating the status of tribal elder knowledge to that of scientific inquiry promotes collaboration in archaeological projects.
Importance of involving tribal elders in discussions about cultural memory and environmental justice across landscapes.
Challenges in articulating the holistic significance of view sheds and ensuring respectful treatment of ancestral lands as project stakes intensify.
Conclusion
Dr. Reddy reaffirms the importance of understanding indigenous persistence and agency in the face of colonial challenges.
Encourages engagement with local communities, respecting their narratives and contributions to historical and cultural understanding.
The continued relevance of traditional ecological knowledge in present-day policies and practices is underscored as a path forward.