Week three reflection

In my opinion, the third week of the quarter is the one of the best weeks. You begin to have a handle on the concepts covered, and form opinions about the material. This week was probably my most successful week so far. Seeing how passionate Jewel James and Kurt Russo are about preservation of trees, forests, and Indigenous practices really hit me hard. Though I didn't doubt the horrific realities and destruction of culture that has affected First Peoples for so long, hearing it firsthand from Jewel was intense. It happened so recently in time -- the eagle feathers being banned, the arrests, fishing restrictions -- that it really put into perspective how desperately necessary it is to advocate for Indigenous rights.

Reading Indians of the Pacific Northwest has been a great experience this week as well.  I like that it is written in the first person, and I like that honest thoughts and thought processes are shown. It has been very intriguing to read about practices such as ways to prepare salmon, fishing techniques, and local myths/legends. I have read about these things before, but only in historical fiction and poetry.