At the Bridge: James Teit and an Anthropology of Belonging

by Wendy Wickwire

At the Bridge chronicles the littleknown story of James Teit, a prolific ethnographer who, from 1884 to 1922, worked with and advocated for the Indigenous peoples of British Columbia and the northwestern United States. From his base at Spences Bridge, BC, Teit forged a participantbased anthropology that was far ahead of its time. Whereas his contemporaries, including famed anthropologist Franz Boas, studied Indigenous peoples as members of "dying cultures," Teit worked with them as members of living cultures resisting colonial influence over their lives and lands. Whether recording stories, mapping placenames, or participating in the chiefs' fight for fair treatment, he made their objectives his own. With his allies, he produced copious, meticulous records; an army of anthropologists could not have achieved a fraction of what he achieved in his short life. Wickwire's beautifully crafted narrative accords Teit the status he deserves, consolidating his place as a leading and innovative anthropologist in his own right.

Genres: Anthropology, Nonfiction

368 pages, Hardcover

Published June 4, 2019

Reviews

[Cheryl Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read that gives a better understanding of colonialism in BC and how First Nations has a great friendship with James Teit, an immigrant himself to Canada from Shetland.
This must have been a difficult book to write because of the enormity of the topics at hand and the many figures that were part of the history both from the communities, from the province and from Canada.
I enjoyed that the author providing so much background as to why Teit was a good friend to the First Nations in so much as he even married into the community.
This book is full of heartbreak and triumphs and I admired how much Tait traveled despite being at the turn of the century when cross country travel must have been difficult. It was hard to read about the government bills being passed that negatively affected First Nations people. It has taken almost another 100 years to try to rectify many of the negative effects of decisions made back then. It’s interesting that land claim issues are not resolved despite the work done back then.
There is a mention or two of Teit traveling through Dog Creek and Canoe Creek and Churn Creek on his trips to the Chilcotin and to the North. These are locations near where I was raised.
It’s a shame that the Teit contributions to anthropology in North America haven’t been more publicly recognized and remain rather hidden because of his affiliations and his humble existence. I hope that this book brings his story to the forefront and that Teit gets the recognition that he deserves for his dedicated work in documenting the culture of the First Nations in BC.

I highly recommend- not an easy read sometimes but definitely worth it.

[Ray Lister · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fascinating and it’s complexity makes it difficult to sum up succinctly. It’s very enjoyable to read on so many levels. It’s a great biography, it’s a window into the history and present of anthropology, as well as ongoing conversations surrounding authenticity, history, and truth. It provides some really important vignettes of settler-Canadian history, and Indigenous activism in the early 1900s.

I found it kind of cleansing to read an in-depth biography about a settler who was an ally to Indigenous communities at this time period. The way that the author situates James Teit in a belief system and movement that did not accept or ignore the immoral and illegal seizure of unceded Indigenous territories really lays bare the strategic colonial project of Canada.

[Cliff Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly remarkable account of one of Canada's foremost and underrated anthropologists and his study and life with the Nlaka'pamux ('Thompson River) people's in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I found the book extremely readable and engaging.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating look at the life of James Teit, an amazing turn-of-the-century anthropologist in British Columbia. Though lacking a graduate degree, he studied and wrote extensively about the indigenous peoples of BC and North-west USA. Much of his work was unfairly appropriated by his Columbia Univ. sponsor, Franz Boas. Teit's contributions, as a result, are not well understood. With this book, Wickwire seeks to change that narrative. She amply illustrates Teit's scholarship, his participant-observer stance, his political engagement, and his understanding of the systemic racism that the First Nations consistently faced. The book is long-long on detail, which makes it a bit of a long slog to read. But almost every page is filled with fascinating stories and insight. We need more books like this as we strive to understand and act justly to Canada's elder peoples, her First Nations.

[Rod Endacott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Precious is best word to describe this book . . . At the Bridge: James Teit and an Anthropology of BelongingWendy Wickwire's work. On so many levels it educated by simply telling the history from the prespective of the "being side" as opposed to the anguishing drone of the "achieving-side". The being-side, The Shetlands, and the Indigenous Indians of south and central British Columbia, are in general in tune and in concert with the natural world. I'm so grateful to hear this story as it feeds my passion to speak and act as they did. The natural world relies on us - those of us who know and love the land.

[Barbara Brydges · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific, and very readable, work of scholarship that tells the unknown story of natural ethnographer James Teit who came from the Shetland Islands in the 1880s and settled in Spence’s Bridge, British Columbia, where he married an Indigenous woman. There he began documenting the lives of the native people of the area. His work was not informed by anthropological theory, although it was eagerly taken over by the famed Franz Boaz, but by a genuine empathy created in part by his upbringing in a culture that had also been ‘colonized.’ Teit also worked tirelessly with B.C.’s Indigenous people in their efforts to have their land rights recognized. Unfortunately that was a lost battle at the time and Teit died in obscurity with neither his rights work, nor his ground-breaking anthropological work recognized. Kudos to historian Wendy Wickwire for her decades of research that has finally brought his story to light.

[Bruce Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished. Well worth the read. James Teit died way too young but it was almost predictable given how hard he worked. His whole life seemed to be a marathon requiring both physical and mental endurance.

Interesting to read that in the day Teit was described by government as a "white agitator" who was working to stir up an otherwise contented First Nation population. Lol.

The interesting part is this same strategy is used to this day and I am thinking more recently of the northern pipeline project. We hear about the white agitators or "professional" protestors stirring up otherwise contented First Nations who then block pipelines. Nobody really questions this narrative because it is useful shade if your goal is to develop resources.

[Lee Selleck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historian Wendy Wickwire unveils the amazing story of James Teit, a man famous to some in British Columbia, but little heralded for his incredible cultural and shared political accomplishments. I won't repeat the excellent points in other reviews. Rather, I add that at its heart this is a story of cross-cultural, personal learning and admiration (and astounding documentation!) against the colonial odds. Canada is far richer for the work of James Teit and all who shared with him, and richer for Wickwire's terrific account of it.

[Ellie O'Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we understand our settler history from a new perspective, this study of James Teit and his grasp of indigenous culture in central BC going back to the 19th century is a must read.

[Simon Guthrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding, and difficult. The tensions in anthropology of the time, as residential schools are established in BC and Indigenous land rights are stolen, make this a very timely read.

[Flora · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book, very informative and well written 👏🏽

[Ian Chatwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super interesting on a many fronts. Highly recommend anyone interested in BC history to read this.

[Clivemichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a slam than a dunk. A fascinating man and another man with a different history.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of my education on how colonialism impacted First Nations.
It was fascinating to learn of the life and times of James Teit - who spoke many Indigenous dialects - and along the way to also learn about the plight of BC First Nations around the turn of the century.

[Mitch Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those familiar with the culture and landscape of southern BC this history is fascinating and invaluable.