Oral Histories of Hood Canal Skokomish Tribal Elders
and Long Time Residents

Theory to Praxis Workshops for Spring 2007

The spring workshop schedule will take a different approach to build micro and macro skills conducting oral histories for the Skokomish Tribe.  We will meet every Saturday beginning March 31 to June 2nd, 2007.  IF, you are only able to attend every other week – here is the schedule.  We will potluck, highlight a portion of the project, and continue to build tribal “policy” knowledge as we interview and learn from Skokomish Tribal fishermen, fisheries staff, and fisheries committee members.

    April 7th     9-2    Skokomish Tribal Center
    April 21st     9-2    Skokomish Tribal Center
    May 5th     9-2    Skokomish Tribal Center
    May 19th     9-2    Skokomish Tribal Center
    June 2nd     9-2    Skokomish Tribal Center

Several of our theory to praxis participants will graduate winter quarter, travel to Peru, or enter other programs.  We look forward to trying a different approach for the theory to praxis workshops.  Thanks to the Skokomish Tribe for hosting our Heritage Program and working with us on this oral history endeavor.

Oral Histories of Hood Canal Skokomish Tribal Elders
and Long Time Residents

The Evergreen State College Native American Studies “Heritage” Program students will conduct oral history research in the Hood Canal area to, “provide critical insight into the history, impacts, and potential causes of the low dissolved oxygen concentrations occurring in Hood Canal.”  The results of the research, which is to be conducted among “tribal elders and other long-term residents,” are to be “preserved as part of the state’s oral history program.”  (HB1883)

Fifty interviews by students (Cassandra Sharon, Chuck Kennedy, Calvin Peterson, LaMetta LaClair) will be conducted from March 12th  to June 16th, 2007.  Fifty tapes will be transcribed (Phil Smith, transcriber) and scored to powerpoint text and to booklets.  Meetings/interviews will be scheduled every Saturday beginning March 31st to June 2nd, 2007 (interviews every Tuesday and Thursday as scheduled). 

Major Focus of Interview:
Share your perspective regarding the history of the conditions along Hood Canal, including but not limited to reports of fish kills, changes in marine species behavior, fishing and harvesting histories, and other conditions related to the environmental health of Hood Canal.  HCDOP specific questions (see attached)

Heritage Program Faculty
Yvonne Peterson, Raul Nakasone, David Rutledge
ILC Faculty – Gary Peterson
Hood Canal Dissolved Oxygen Program (HCDOP) suggested questions for
The Evergreen State College Hood Canal Oral History Project


Were there any fish kills that happened in the past?  How often? Where? When? (for all of the “when” questions it would be good to know not only the year or approximation, but the time of year e.g. Spring, Summer, etc.).

Do you recall or have you heard of any stories of seeing listless bottomfish in the Canal - fish that were alive but barely moving? When? Where?

Do you recall or have you heard of any stories of seeing schools of bottomfish in the shallow water- less than 10-20 feet deep?  When? Where?

Do you remember or have you heard of any stories of red tides or large blooms of phytoplankton occurring in the canal in the past? When? Where?

What fish/shellfish were harvested and how? Have there been changes in fishing practices over time?  Have fishing locations changed?  Have you noticed or are there stories of changes in the harvest of herring, clams, and Dungeness crab? 

Do you, or have you, fished in the deep water (deeper than 200 feet) of the canal?   If so what did you used to catch and what do you catch now?

How has commercial fishing changed over time?  What kinds of species were harvested?  Has this changed?  Were there fisheries in the past that are totally gone? (e.g. pollack, whaling, etc.)

Are there any animals (fish, birds, mammals) that you used to see in the canal but no longer do? Or that your ancestors used to see in the canal but no longer do?

Have you noticed changes in the abundance and distribution of eelgrass?  Was kelp observed in Hood Canal previously?

What changes did you notice with the introduction of the Japanese oysters? 

Do you know of any areas or have you heard of any stories of where smelt used to spawn but no longer do so?

Do you recall or have you heard of any stories of any spawning by smelt during the summer months?  If so where?

Have you noticed changes (Declines?  Distribution?) in the abundance of sea life on beaches?  What kinds of changes?  When?  Where?

Have you noticed changes in the types of trees or other vegetation on the shorelines?  In the upland forests?  What kind of trees were the most common? What kinds of changes have you observed or have heard of?  When? Where?

Have you observed changes in the shoreline?  Loss of sandy beaches?  Erosion?  When and where did this occur?

How have the populations of people changed?  (numbers, distribution)  Where did people used to live within the Hood Canal watershed vs. where they live now? 

Did people talk about smelling sulfur?

How close were fire pits to the water?

Have you seen changes in farming practices over time? Locations?

Have fish kills occurred in the past?

What have you observed during recent fish kills?