MAMMOTH TRACKS - Royal Alberta Museum

MAMMOTH TRACKS
Written by: Chris Robinson
Acting Executive
Director's Message
I write this after the opportunity for Albertans
to comment on the initial four designs for
the new Museum has closed. The concepts
stimulated a great deal of discussion and,
whether or not you approve of the visions put
forward by each design-build group, I think
many of the comments expressed publicly have
lost sight of the larger objective. While focus
on the envelope is important, it neglected
a critical part of this redevelopment—to
provide a functional space to safely house
collections and present stimulating, exciting,
instructive and enjoyable exhibits to visitors.
Yes, we want the building to be a beautiful,
welcome addition to downtown Edmonton's
revitalization, but we also want it to meet
our needs for decades to come. It is great
to see an impassioned debate over our
Museum—but, to bring some perspective, it's
perhaps useful to consider the views of one
of our biggest audiences—kids. We recently
asked participants in our popular week-long
immersive Museum School program to tell us
what they wanted from the new Museum, and
here is what they said (in no particular order,
but more fun when read quickly):
02
Time Travellers
Hunt the Past
More insects (scorpions and spiders), more
animals (at least three snakes, named Bugeye,
Scales and Nena) and animal sounds, live birds,
a bigger dinosaur display, clothing over the
years, cars from the past, and amazing history
moments of Alberta. Also a sports gallery,
a plant gallery, amphibian and bird galleries,
diamonds and amethysts, more videos and
sounds, more things to touch (like pull-out
insect drawers)…and of course a gallery
about dragons!
Also: video games, a famous authors gallery,
artwork, marine biology, a culture gallery on
nations of the world, national wildlife (not just
Alberta), activity rooms, musical history of the
world, a gallery about environmental issues
and what we are doing to the environment.
Even a gallery with priceless items that are
really rare, or jewellery from people who are
really old and were famous.
The building should be friendly to the
environment, and it should be built with more
than one level (with futuristic staircases and
conveyor belts!) It should also have more
classrooms and washrooms. Also, more space
to play, more areas to learn and more picnic
05
Interpreters
in the Field
areas, and there should be a park and a
welcoming entrance (imagine a “huge tall
man [holding a sign] in his hands that says
Royal Alberta Museum”).
Not one child was overly concerned with what
the building looked like on the outside. They
were more interested in what was going on
inside. New galleries with new stories, more
objects on display, hands-on activities, and
both engaging and insightful looks at the
past and at current issues—this is what we
will need to consider if we are to sustain the
interest of this and future generations.
The grounds of the existing Royal Alberta
Museum contain many attractions—16
according to our On the Grounds tour—
but one in particular continues to draw my
attention, a sculpture entitled The Storyteller.
In creating it, artist Ole Holmsten wished
to portray the dual role of museums in
society, as both educator and entertainer.
It is important not to forget this fundamental
purpose of museums—to tell stories—as we
continue to debate what this building will
become—both inside and out.
08
Arts Days
2011
EDITORIAL MEMBERS: Alwynne Beaudoin • Susan Berry

MAMMOTH TRACKS
Written by: Alwynne Beaudoin • Curator, Quaternary Environments
The longest-running public program at
the Museum, the popular Time Travellers
lecture series returns for its eighteenth
season this fall! Four fascinating lectures
by internationally-renowned scholars will
focus on hunting in the ancient past.
For much of human history, people have relied on hunting
to supply food and materials for clothes, tools, and decoration.
The hunted animals also occupied the very centre of their
spiritual world. The four talks focus on very different animals—
Mammoth, Mastodon, Bison, Pronghorn, Moa, and Harp
Seals—but all show how people through the ages have devised
sophisticated and often complex methods for hunting based
on a deep knowledge of animal biology and behaviour. From
the plains of North America, to the forests of New Zealand
and the cold Atlantic waters off Newfoundland, join us to stalk
and capture a sense of the past in our Time Travellers talks!
Time Travellers
Hunt the Past
Masters of Animals:
Buffalo and Pronghorn Hunting
on the Alberta Plains
Jack Brink, Royal Alberta Museum
Thursday, September 29, at 7:00 p.m.
Bison (Buffalo) are the largest land mammal in North America, and
Pronghorn (Antelope) are the fastest. Both these wild animals were
killed in large numbers by ancient Aboriginal people of southern
Alberta. And both were killed in dramatic fashion by driving herds into
wooden corrals, over cliffs, and into pits dug in the earth. Simple lines
of rocks set purposely in a landscape may appear unimpressive, but
they reveal a compelling story about the mastery of animal behaviour
and biology. Jack Brink will consider new evidence for ancient
Aboriginal Bison and Pronghorn hunting and discuss how these
remarkable kills were conducted.
On the evenings of the lectures the Museum will be open
from 5 to 7 p.m., giving visitors a chance to tour our main
floor galleries and visit the Gift Shop.
Single lecture ticket price $8, series price $25
Mammoth Pass holders receive 10% off
To purchase tickets, call 780-453-9100 and press “0”
Tickets may also be purchased at the Museum’s Admissions Desk
2 Royal Alberta Museum Mammoth Tracks Newsletter

FALL 2011
Mammoths and
Mastodons as Prey:
Megamammal Hunting
in the Human Past
Dr. Gary Haynes, Anthropology
Department, University of Nevada,
Reno, Nevada
Thursday, October 6, at 7:00 p.m.
Bones of giant elephant-like mammals are
sometimes found directly associated with
human-made stone tools dating back nearly
two million years in Africa, perhaps when
human ancestors merely scavenged carcasses.
Enormous piles of Woolly Mammoth bones
mark human settlements about 25,000
to 15,000 years ago in northern Eurasia,
although people probably didn’t kill all the
animals. Numerous later sites do suggest that
humans killed and butchered now-extinct
elephant-like animals. Surprisingly, North
America has the richest record of Mammothand
Mastodon-killing in the world, with
at least 14 sites dating to around 13,000
years ago. Dr. Gary Haynes describes this
archaeological record and explores clues from
studies of modern elephants that help interpret
sites containing megamammal remains.
No Moa: Whatever
Happened to the Giant
Flightless Birds of New
Zealand
Dr. Brian Kooyman, Department of
Archaeology, University of Calgary,
Calgary, Alberta
Thursday, October 13, at 7:00 p.m.
New Zealand has been largely isolated from
the rest of the world for some hundred million
years. As a result, it is full of strange and
wonderful animals. You can see many of those
animals even today, but you will not see the
Moa. These flightless birds varied widely in
size, from small turkey-sized species to ones
weighing over 200 kilograms. The Polynesian
ancestors of the Maori people arrived in New
Zealand about AD 1100, yet by the time
the first Europeans arrived in 1769 all the
Moa had disappeared. How did a Polynesian
agricultural people push all the Moa species
to extinction As Dr Kooyman shows, dead
birds do tell tales...
Dorset Palaeoeskimo
Seal Harvesting at Port
au Choix, Northwestern
Newfoundland
Dr. Priscilla Renouf, Department of
Archaeology, Memorial University,
St. John's, Newfoundland
Thursday, October 20, at 7:00 p.m.
Dorset Palaeoeskimos were an Arcticadapted
people who ranged southward
into Newfoundland and the islands of
St. Pierre and Miquelon. Here they found
unprecedented economic opportunity in the
large Harp Seal herds that migrated along
the Newfoundland coast twice yearly. A prime
spot for hunting seals was Port au Choix,
on Newfoundland’s northwest coast. There,
an extraordinary Dorest site called Phillip’s
Garden was occupied by generations of
families for eight centuries (2,000-1,200
years ago). Critical timing, efficient technology,
and coordinated labour comprised the key
to a successful seal hunt. Dr. Priscilla Renouf
describes how the Phillip’s Garden Dorset
hunted seals, processed meat and fat,
and worked the hides.
3

MAMMOTH TRACKS
Written by: Mark Steinhilber, Curator, Ichthyology and Karen Mackie, Head, Visitor Experience
A River Runs Through It
“Rivers are the living force, the roots, the arteries of our planet.
They reflect our history and carry our dreams; they
are our legacy for future generations. We cannot
hesitate to invest in their protection” – Robert Redford
This fall, the Museum will host the travelling
exhibition A River Runs Through It. Produced
by the Sherbrooke Museum of Nature and
Science in collaboration with the World
Wildlife Fund, the exhibition showcases
human impact on rivers and raises awareness
of the importance of protecting these critical
watercourses. This is very much a familyoriented
production with many interactive
components and activities that lead visitors
on a journey of discovery about river
ecosystems and water management issues.
Interpretive text inspires viewers to think
about the consequences of water diversion,
water consumption, climate change, pollution
and the resulting impacts on species that
inhabit freshwater environments. Activities
that are particularly significant contributors
to our “water footprint”–like energy
generation, industry and agriculture–are
highlighted. But visitors are also challenged
to consider ways that they can reduce water
consumption and are shown examples of
environmentally friendly restoration projects
along some major Canadian rivers.
All of this is presented in a fun, engaging
and immersive context that showcases
many of the plants and animals that interact
in complex river ecosystems. Children can
pretend to fish for salmon in the mighty
Fraser River, transport salmon eggs upriver
to spawning grounds, and climb dams and
fish ladders to learn first-hand the difficulties
that fish face during their life cycle. The
experience will be augmented by a display
showing the diversity of fishes that can be
found in our own North Saskatchewan River.
Interpretive programming will include handson
interaction with real preserved specimens
of the fishes that live in our city.
This bilingual exhibition runs from October
15, 2011, to February 5, 2012. Bring the
entire family to learn more about the natural
treasures that flow through our communities
and enhance our quality of life.
© 1986 Panda symbol WWF-World Wide Fund
For Nature (also known as World Wildlife Fund).
® “WWF” is a WWF Registered Trademark
4 Royal Alberta Museum Mammoth Tracks Newsletter

FALL 2011
Interpreters
in the Field
Written by: Taylor Chadwick
Gallery Interpreter, Wild Alberta
Mammalogy Curator Dr. Mark Edwards stands amongst burnt trees at the Opal site.
In April, Wild Alberta interpreter Kristin Panylyk
and I had the opportunity to spend some time
in the field with Mammalogy Curator Dr. Mark
Edwards, working on a small mammal study.
The fieldwork extended over two weeks and
focused on post-burn sites in the southern
boreal forest north of Edmonton. We were
accompanied by biologist Karyn Swedberg and
Summer Temporary Employment Program (STEP)
student Jordanne Taylor. It was a refreshing
change for Kristin and me to get out into nature
and experience another side of the Museum.
“Setting the Line”: Interpreters and field researchers
set up a transect, along which traps will be placed,
at the Bruderheim site.
Visitors are often unfamiliar with many of the
Museum’s research projects. Being part of one
directly has allowed Kristin and me to bring out
the messages of the study in our daily work in
the Wild Alberta gallery. We have created a new
interpretive program that focuses on the concept
of a mark-and-recapture study to estimate
population numbers and on the specific postburn
site study in which we participated.
Mark’s study looks at the small mammal
community in post-burn sites of varying ages.
We visited sites at Opal (burned May 2010),
Bruderheim (burned 2009) and Redwater
(burned in 2000). We experienced good
weather throughout, with no rain outside a
light sprinkle. That's more than could be said
for the rest of our spring and summer, so we
counted ourselves lucky! These areas were
heavily used by off-road vehicles and in some
cases (Opal and Bruderheim) the fires that ran
through the areas were started by off-road
vehicles such as ATVs.
The animals we encountered were mainly Deer
Mice, but we also tagged a few Voles, Jumping
Mice and one Chipmunk. Small mammals are
usually some of the first critters on the scene
after a forest fire and they take advantage
of widespread seeds and the new vegetation
that invades such sites. Birds of prey flew
Interpreter Taylor Chadwick holds up a Deer Mouse
(Peromyscus maniculatus) after a successful capture
at the Bruderheim site.
overhead and some deer moved through the
area, stopping to feed on small tree seedlings.
It was visual proof that our environment is
both fragile and extremely versatile.
Kristin and I learned a lot about what Mark
does and how to bring the messages of current
scientific research to visitors in a way that is
exciting, dynamic and up-to-date. If you want
to learn more about this study please feel free
to swing by the Wild Alberta gallery and look
for Kristin or me. We would be happy to share
this amazing experience with you.
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MAMMOTH TRACKS
Written by: K. Linda Tzang • Curator, Cultural Communities
H11.35.10003 Canadian Citizenship Certificate, 1958
It is only a small assortment of papers and photographs, but the Yee
collection captures the history of official discrimination against Chinese
Canadians. Central to this collection is Joe Mun ‘George’ Yee’s Head
Tax certificate. A sepia-toned photograph shows us the teenaged
boy whose family paid the Canadian government $500 so that
their son could make his fortune in ‘Gold Mountain’–the Chinese
name for Canada.
The Chinese Head Tax was introduced in 1885 to limit the number of
Chinese immigrants to Canada. While western Canada relied heavily
on Chinese labour, there were fears over the number of ‘Asiatics’
who were settling in the country. Initially costing $50, the Head Tax
was raised to $100 in 1900, then increased to $500 in 1903. Despite
the fact that $500 was equivalent to two years’ wages for a Chinese
labourer, Chinese immigrants continued to come to Canada, fleeing the
civil unrest and drought that were plaguing southern China at the time.
Families cobbled together the $500 so that their sons could make their
fortunes and send money back to their villages.
When the Head Tax failed to deter Chinese immigration, the Canadian
government introduced the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1923. This act
stripped all Chinese Canadians, regardless of their place of birth, of
their citizenship rights and effectively ended Chinese immigration to
Canada. The Act was finally repealed in 1947 when Chinese Canadians,
led by Second World War veterans, convinced Parliament of the
injustice of this law. During the 24 years that the Chinese Immigration
Act was in place, fewer than 50 Chinese people were allowed to
immigrate to Canada.
Other papers in this collection include George Yee’s wife Yuen ‘Lorna’
Lim’s birth certificate from Cumberland, British Columbia, and the Yees’
One Chinese
Canadian Story:
The Yee family
collection
1941 marriage certificate. Under the Chinese Immigration Act, Lorna
lost her status and rights as a Canadian by marrying a non-citizen.
Lorna regained her citizenship following the Act’s repeal. After living
and working as a market farmer in Canada for over 30 years, George
Yee became a Canadian citizen in 1958.
The last document
in the Yee family
collection is a letter
from the Canadian
government
to Lorna Yee
promising to
‘process her ex
gratia payment
as soon as
H11.35.10001 Head Tax Certificate, 1923
possible’. In 2006,
the Canadian government acknowledged the injustice of the Head
Tax and the Chinese Immigration Act. Prime Minister Stephen Harper
issued an official apology in the House of Commons and announced
a symbolic redress payment of $20,000 to surviving payees and their
spouses. Of the estimated 82,000 Chinese who had paid the Head Tax,
only 785—including Lorna Yee—survived to make claims.
But of course, this is just one of the stories that this collection tells.
The collection also offers a sense of the family farm in Black Diamond,
the Yees’ social interactions with friends and neighbours from the
1940s through 2000s, and the growth and expansion of this Chinese
Canadian family as grandchildren and great-grandchildren are
mentioned in documents and appear in photographs.
6 Royal Alberta Museum Mammoth Tracks Newsletter

FALL 2011
Documenting Alberta’s
Fish Diversity:
The highs and lows
Preserving, studying and interpreting the
fish diversity of a province as large and
geographically diverse as Alberta means
exploring and sampling from the heights of
mountain tops to the depths of our deepest
lakes. This summer, the Ichthyology and
Education programs collaborated on two
new projects. For the Ichthyology program
the objective was to survey the fishes of alpine
lakes and to investigate the use of underwater
video and SCUBA to assess fish populations.
For the Education program the main aim was
to create audio-visual material focused on
scientists at work in the field, suitable for
use in science-based school programs.
The Highs
The Golden Trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita),
a native of California, has been introduced
into a handful of high altitude lakes in
southern and western Alberta. Because of
the limited distribution and the remoteness
of the lakes this species inhabits, it is poorly
represented in our collections. In July and
August, David Parama (Head of Education)
David Parama on Rainy Ridge trail
Written by: Mark Steinhilber • Curator, Ichthyology
and I hiked into three lakes (South Fork,
Barnaby and Rainy Ridge lakes) in the West
Castle River area north of Waterton National
Park in an attempt to acquire a small sample of
voucher specimens of Golden Trout. For two oldtimers,
carrying collecting gear plus hiking and
camping equipment up the side of a mountain
along barely discernible trails proved rather
challenging and elicited a few chuckles from
other hikers and fishermen. But the effort proved
worthwhile as several beautiful specimens
representative of these populations are now
available for display in our new galleries and
for study by interested researchers
The Lows
Rainy Ridge Lake
Golden Trout
Several fish species have recently been placed
on the endangered species list in Alberta.
Studying these species may have unwanted
adverse effects on some populations, so
developing new research techniques that have
minimal or no impact on them is important.
For the past two years, we have been
investigating the use of underwater video and
SCUBA to monitor populations of sensitive
species without the need to capture or handle
specimens. Unfortunately, most Alberta lakes
Mark Steinhilber underwater with camera
do not have the crystal clear waters that make
photography and videography easy. Cold
Lake, along the Alberta/Saskatchewan border,
retains relatively good visibility throughout the
open water season. It has been our primary
study site for experimenting with techniques
to document fish populations using video
and still imagery. Some fish, such as Northern
Pike, Burbot and Sticklebacks, are quite
accommodating and will tolerate the presence
of cameras and divers, but others are more
camera-shy. Members of the Whitefish family
seem particularly wary and are rarely seen.
This includes the endangered Shortjaw Cisco
(Coregonus zenithicus), the species that this
project first studied. Preliminary results suggest
that we will likely find this species only when
large numbers congregate on spawning
grounds and are pre-occupied with their task.
Unfortunately, spawning occurs in November
or December, a time when access onto lakes
and streams is particularly difficult—if the
water isn’t frozen it’s darn cold! Stay tuned
for further updates after we thaw out.
7

MAMMOTH TRACKS
Arts Days 2011
Written by: Janet Waldon • Public Programs Coordinator
Royal Alberta Museum
On October 1 and 2, ten of our resident
experts will bring their current projects
into the spotlight and highlight the
artistic side of collections and research.
From trench art to fossils, from ancient
stone artifacts to quilts, from tiny seeds
to kimonos, art is everywhere! Let us
share with you the process, purpose, and
products of creative minds and hands.
Each unique 20-minute presentation
begins on-the-hour; programs run
from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. each day.
Saturday, Oct 1:
11:00 a.m. Sean Moir: Trench Art:
From the tools of war to ‘folk art’
Primarily made from shell casings, bullets
and other munitions, keepsakes known as
trench art were popular during and after the
First World War. Surprisingly few were crafted
by battlefield soldiers.
8 Royal Alberta Museum Mammoth Tracks Newsletter
12:00 p.m. Jack Brink: Disappearing Dreams
at the Zephyr Creek Rock Art Site
New research indicates that painted images
at the Zephyr Creek site were made recently
and are fading quickly. At least some were
created by Nakoda people commemorating
the Sundance ceremony.
1:00 p.m. Chris Jass: Imagining the Past:
The intersection of art and science in
vertebrate palaeontology
Learn how the past is “brought to life”
through palaeontology-based artwork.
2:00 p.m. Bob Dawe: The Artful Bison
Discover rare and beautiful stone carvings
of bison from the North Saskatchewan
River region.
3:00 p.m. Cathy Roy: The 1960s
Wall Hanging
What do woven wall hangings reveal about
Alberta’s textile arts traditions
Sunday, Oct. 2
11:00 a.m. Judy Half: InVESTigation:
First Nations beaded vests
The Museum’s Aboriginal Liaison Officer–an
accomplished beadworker in her own right–
explores the artistry of beaded vests from
the Northern Plains.
12:00 p.m. Lucie Heins: Art Quilts:
Past and present
From bed quilts to wall quilts, view the artistry
in heritage quilts and contemporary art quilts.
Learn about changes in quilting techniques
and sources of inspiration.
1:00 p.m. Susan Berry: Morning Star
and Many Mules: Historic Kainai art
A collection of Kainai art offers insight into
Blackfoot life at the end of the 19th century.
2:00 p.m. K. Linda Tzang: Art of the
Kimono: Past and future
Join our Cultural Communities curator
in exploring the history of the kimono as
a means to understanding Japanese culture
and identity–past, present and future.
3:00 p.m. Alwynne Beaudoin: Beauty
at Small Scale: Structure and pattern
of seeds under the microscope
Marvel at the intricate patterns and elaborate
structures of common seeds revealed by the
microscope. Even seeds of everyday plants
reveal surprising beauty and complexity
when seen up close.

FALL 2011
Government House
Our good friends at Government House have teamed up with
Alice Major and a variety of local wordsmiths and musicians
to present Swinging Words: Words with Music at Government
House—two afternoons of provocative prose. From the comfort
of the Alberta Room, enjoy the talented artistry of these
local performers!
In addition at both sites:
Museum Gallery Interpreters and Government House Tour Guides
will be on site throughout the weekend. Drop by and discover a few
of the people, places and things that have shaped our province!
View the full Arts Day 2011 schedule @ www.royalalbertamuseum.ca
The Poetry Route Stops at Chinatown – Saturday, Oct. 1, at 1 p.m.
Edmonton’s original Chinatown is a century old this year. To celebrate,
Edmonton’s bus poetry project, The Poetry Route, will launch a round
of bilingual poems in Chinese and English, from translations of
classic poems to contemporary pieces by local writers. Come for
a sneak preview of the selected poems, accompanied by traditional
Chinese music.
The Edmonton Slam Team Comes out Swinging – Saturday,
Oct. 1, at 3 p.m.
“Spoken word” brings together the rhythmic melodies of storytelling,
the beats of hip-hop, and the politics of rap. The 2011 Edmonton
Poetry Slam Team presents a diverse and dynamic show that will
demonstrate the full range of spoken word poetry, from political
statements backed by beats to personal narratives cloaked in melodic
storytelling. Join us for poetry like you’ve never experienced before.
East Meets West in Lyric – Sunday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m.
The poet Misuzu Kaneko died in 1930 after a tragically brief life.
Her gentle, haunting poems for children are much loved in Japan
but little known in the West. Come and hear the original poems set
to music along with English translations created by Yukari Meldrum.
Falling Notes, Notes of Fall – Sunday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m.
Join us for a blending of Celtic music with fall poetry. Words by
Nancy Mackenzie, Kathy Fisher and John Leppard in a swinging
performance with musicians Donna Mae Mohrmann and Nigel Jackman.
9