Fort Vancouver archaeology school honored for diversity

Hudson’s Bay — The Fort Vancouver Public Archaeology Field School won the Society of Historical Archaeology’s 2016 Diversity Field School Competition for its diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, abilities and socio-economic background in archaeological research objectives, perspectives and participation. The school, which is joint effort by the National Park Service, Portland State University and Washington State University Vancouver, uses diversity in the past and present as a theme. Last year, students observed the protocols of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe on their annual canoe journey, and were visited by the Ke Kukui Foundation, a local Native Hawaiian and Polynesian organization. “This national recognition reflects the hard work that we have done to make our work relevant to all the people of the Portland/Vancouver area and to reach out to visitors from across the globe to tell the compelling stories of Fort Vancouver,” Doug Wilson, a National Park Service archaeologist, said in a release from the school.