Thomas C. T. Buckley papers, 1976-1988

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Buckley, Thomas C. T.
Title
Thomas C. T. Buckley papers
Dates
1976-1988 (inclusive)
Quantity
approximately .62 cubic ft (16 sound cassettes, 2 microfilms, 162 pages)
Collection Number
2696-009
Summary
Field notes and tapes related to research among Yurok Indians and final reports on linguistics
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Thomas Crowell-Taylor "Tim" Buckley (May 28, 1942 – April 16, 2015) was an American anthropologist known for his long-term ethnographic research with the Yurok Indians of northern California, his early work in the anthropology of reproduction, including menstruation and culture and for his major reevaluation of the work of Alfred L. Kroeber. He received his Ph.D. in anthropology in 1982 from the University of Chicago. His decades-long fieldwork with the Yuroks, beginning in 1976 (following upon Buddhist training in California under Shunryu Suzuki, 1965–71), culminated in his ethnographic monograph Standing Ground, published in 2002.

[Information adapted from the “Thomas Buckley”, Wikipedia article; 05/08/2023]

Mrs. Florence Shaughnessy was a Yurok elder who was born in 1902 and lived in Requa, California near the mouth of the Klamath.

Aaawok Aileen Figueroa (1912-2008) was a long-time resident of Westhaven and descendent of the village of Saa-athl. She was one of the last fluent speakers and a Master Teacher of the Yurok language. She was also a Master basket weaver and singer of her native songs. She was born on the Lower Klamath River to Maggie and Henry Pilgrim, where she attended elementary school in Klamath. Aileen was forced to attend the boarding school in Hoopla, which forbid students from speaking their native languages. She eventually found her way back home to Klamath, allowing her to preserve her culture. Aileen dedicated her life to preserving and passing on her heritage to future generations.

[Information adapted from the “Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival”, webpage; 05/08/2023]

Biographical information unavailable for Frank Douglas, Ella Norris, Antone Obie, Nettie Hill, Bessie Flashman, and Lewana Brantner.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Field notes, tapes, and reports pertaining to linguistic research among Yurok Indians in the Klamath River region of northwestern California conducted in 1976 and 1978.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

Culturally, the Yurok people are known as great fishermen, eelers, basket weavers, canoe makers, storytellers, singers, dancers, healers and strong medicine people. Before they were given the name "Yurok" they referred to themselves in their native language as “Oohl”, meaning “Indian people”. People from down river on the Klamath are known as Pue-lik-lo' (Down River Indian), those on the upper Klamath and Trinity are Pey-cheek-lo' (Up River Indian) and on the coast Ner-'er-ner' (Coast Indian). The Klamath-Trinity River is the lifeline of their people because the majority of the food supply, like ney-puy (salmon), Kaa-ka (sturgeon) and kwor-ror (candlefish) are offered to them from these rivers.

Similar to other tribal groups in California, Yurok people overcame the destruction of their villages, and assimilation attempts by non-native settlers. When government policy forbade the use of traditional languages and outlawed the practice of traditional ceremonies, Yurok people continued. Some dances stopped while others were revitalized. The late 1970s and 1980s were a time when the revitalization effort soared in the local area. The Jump Dance returned to Pek-won in 1984, a War Dance demonstration was held in the late 1980s, and communities came together to support the revitalization of Brush Dances along the river and the coast. In the year 2000, the White Deerskin Dance was held again at the village of Weych-pues. For several generations there were no cultural traditions or language being passed on. With so few Yurok families able to hold onto traditional ways, it appeared as though the attempts to eliminate the cultural traditions would be successful. With the help of many elders (who have since passed on), young people who were eager to learn Yurok traditions did so and for the past twenty years Yurok traditional ceremonies have continued.

[Information adapted from the “Our History” and “Religion” webpages of the Yurok Tribe Official Website; 05/08/2023]

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's literary rights retained. Contact repository for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Organized into 3 accessions.

  • Accession No. 2696-009-01, Thomas C.T. Buckley papers, 1976
  • Accession No. 2696-009-02, Thomas C.T. Buckley papers, 1978
  • Accession No. 2696-009-03, Thomas C.T. Buckley papers, 1988

Acquisition Information

Thomas C.T. Buckley, 1977, 1979, 1990.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 2696-009-01: Thomas C.T. Buckley papers, 1976Return to Top

12 sound cassettes; 2 microfilms.

Scope and Content: Field notes and tapes to research among Yurok Indians, Calif., 1976.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights retained. Contact repository for details.

Acquisition Info: Thomas Buckley, 1977-08-01

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Accession
1 2696-009-01
Thomas Buckley Papers
1 microfilm
General Notes: positive
1 2696-009-01
Thomas Buckley Papers
1 microfilm
General Notes: negative
1 2696-009-01
Tape 1: Florence Shaughnessy / Frank Douglas
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Requa, California
July 20, 1976, July 25, 1976, August 6, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 2: Frank Douglas
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Recorded on Side A only
August 6, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 3: Aileen Figueroa
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Westhaven, California
August 9, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 4: Antone Obie and Dewey George
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Hoopa, California
August 12, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 5: Antone Obie and Dewey George
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Continued from previous recording session; recorded on side A only
August 12, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 6: Florence Shaughnessy
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Requa, California
August 20, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 8: Frank Douglas
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Trinidad, California
August 31, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 9: Frank Douglas
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Continued from previous recording session
August 31, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 10: Florence Shaughnessy
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Requa, California
September 6, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 11: Florence Shaughnessy
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Continued from previous recording session; recorded on side A only
September 6, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 12: Ella Norris
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Crescent City, California
September 9, 1976
1 2696-009-01
Tape 13: Ella Norris
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Continued from previous recording session; Recorded on side A only
September 9, 1976

Accession No. 2696-009-02: Thomas C.T. Buckley papers, 1978Return to Top

4 sound cassettes; 160 pages.

Scope and Content: Field notes re Yurok Indian religious belief and practice, 1976; tape recordings.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights retained. Contact repository for details.

Acquisition Info: Thomas Buckley, State College PA, 1979-01-31

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder Accession
1/1 2696-009-02
Field notes on Yurok Indian Religious Beliefs and Practices
Scope and Content: Field notes focus on metaphysics, conceptualization, and training of religious specialists. Accompanying documents include: "Coyote and Bullsnake (Arizona Tewa)" an English/Arizona Tewa translation of a Coyote Story by Dewey Healing (Tewa Village) and Paul Kroskrity (Indiana University)
General Notes: Field notes are supplementary to the cassette tapes Y78-I through Y78-IV.
August 16, 1978 - December 1, 1978
Box item
1 Y78-I-1/2
Yurok Indians (Algonquian): Ella Norris
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Cresent City, California; Written record: Buckley 1978 field-notes (pp. 27-36); Contents: Yurok narratives and prayers, conversation; Recorded by: Thomas Buckley
September 13, 1978
1 Y78-II-1/2
Yurok Indians (Algonquian): Florence Shaughnessy
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Requa, Calfornia; Written record: Buckley 1978 field notes (pp. 42-50); Contents: narratives, formulas, conversation (session continued in Y78-III-1/2); Recorded by: Thomas Buckley
September 15, 1978
1 Y78-III-1/2
Yurok Indians (Algonquian): Florence Shaughnessy
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Requa, California; Written record:Buckley 1978 field notes (pp. 50-51); Recorded by: Thomas Buckley
September 15, 1978
1 Y78-IV-1/2
Yurok Indians (Algonquian): Florence Shaughnessy, Robert Spott, Nettie Hill, Bessie Flashman, Lewana Brantner, various Brushdance singers
1 audio cassette
Scope and Content: Location: Requa, California; Written record: Buckley 1978 field notes (pp. 61-62); Contents: Yurok and Navajo singing, includes Navajo "goat song" sung by Navajo guest in Requa, 1966; Recorded by: R. H. Robins (1956), Molly Rudd (1966), Thomas Buckley (1978)
1956, 1966, 1978

Accession No. 2696-009-03: Thomas Buckley papers, 1988Return to Top

1 folder (2 p.)

Scope and Content: Final research report on the linguistics among the Yurok Indians, Aug-Oct 1988.

Restrictions on Access: Access restricted: For terms of access contact repository.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights retained. Contact repository for details.

Acquisition Info: Thomas Buckley via Whatcom Museum, 1990-03-29

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Buckley, Thomas C. T (creator)
    Corporate Names
    • Jacobs Research Fund (creator)
    • Jacobs Research Funds (creator)