I come to Oregon from the opposite coast, where I am a graduate student in Anthropology at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Classical Studies and Art History from Earlham College, a small Quaker school in Indiana. After graduating, I moved to Austin, Texas, where I briefly worked as a professional magician’s assistant before becoming a case manager for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Although I ultimately decided to return to archaeology, this experience shaped my interest in understanding how individuals experience institutional spaces, as well as my commitment to doing work that extends beyond the academic archaeological community.  

My research interests focus on the material culture of colonialism and resistance at schools for Native American children in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. I have previously excavated at the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School in Michigan, a collaborative project between Central Michigan University and the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. I have also done archival research at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, studying documents from the Phoenix Indian School. This multi-sited research led to my Master’s paper, which was about the role of sports and physical education at these federally-run, off-reservation boarding schools. My other archaeological experience has been in Greece, Romania, Virginia, New York, and, most recently, on the Caribbean island of Montserrat.  

When I’m not doing schoolwork, I love trying out new recipes–the spicier the better. I also try to make time for regular soccer games, solving puzzles, and playing any and all board games with friends. Although I am not allowed to own a dog in my apartment, I compensate with an amiable hermit crab, five colorful fish, and countless plants. They help keep my home lively and get me through the cold New England winters!

Cody is a senior at Western Oregon University pursuing a B.S. in Anthropology. When he heard about the FMIA field school he jumped at the opportunity to take part in the archaeological collaboration with the nearby Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde.

His general interest in anthropology grew from his experiences working in partnership with other cultures in the U.S. Army and his desire to protect important cultural heritage sites after many were damaged or destroyed during recent conflicts.

In his free time, Cody enjoys movies, particularly atmospheric horror films – His favorites being The Thing (1982) and Alien (1979). He also loves hiking and camping in the Pacific Northwest.

My name is Alejandra Maritza Barrera-Pallares, most commonly known as Ale or Alejandra. I was born and raised in Michoacan, Mexico and moved to the USA in 2002 to join my dad that migrated a year before. I love to read, listen music, dance, play the guitar and watch movies in my free time. One of my new hobbies is to go on hiking trips around Washington and Oregon, with the goal to expand to other states.

I am a recent graduate of the University of Washington, with a major in Archaeology, Human evolutionary genetics, and medical & global health. My interest for archy started when after my first year at UW I decided to change my major of pre-medicine to anthropology disciplines, especially since I am interest it in forensic anthropology as a future career.   This interest guided me towards archaeology because forensic anthro requires skills that can be acquired through archaeology, thus archy seem like an excellent choice. This decision made it possible for me to explore different scenarios that occur while doing fieldwork, since archy is a changing and evolving field that requires flexibility, patience, open mind, and many other concepts that expose me to the outside world. By being able to attend UW I was able to acquire skills that I would have never imagine; surveying, mapping, cataloging, archiving, research, ethnoarchaeology, Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR), and fieldwork are among that many skills I was able to obtain, among all the knowledge and history I learned. Therefore, being able to participate in this fieldschool is excellent and such a great opportunity, because I am able to expand my knowledge in CBPR, and learn about the challenges and opportunities of working with indigenous tribes.

While doing this fieldschool I hope to experience archaeology first hand, while learning its impact and use in Indigenous groups and other communities. In addition, my goal is to learn\expand my skills and gain experience in order to work as an archy technician or CRM.

I’m an anthropology and archaeological sciences major headed into my final year at the University of Washington. I’ve come a long way since I first watched librarian-turned-archaeologist Evey Carnahan and her encounters with supernatural shenanigans in The Mummy. For those familiar with Indiana Jones, it comes as no surprise that film couldn’t be further from reality. Regardless, it’s been a fantastic three years. Now I’m interested in working in the non-profit sector, finding ways to incorporate what I’ve learned about archaeology, ethics, and equality into my future career. These interests have led me to Professor Gonzalez’s Field Methods in Indigenous Archaeology course. I arrived at Grande Ronde earlier in June, not sure what to expect from my time at the field school but excited all the same. The first two weeks have been a blur of early-morning lectures, delicious meals (many thanks to the kitchen staff!), and milkshake breaks. We’ve recently started field survey, our foray into low-impact methods well under way, and we have a full month of field work (and many more milkshake breaks) ahead of us. I’m excited to get to work– see you in the field!

My name is Katy Leonard-Doll and I am from a small town just about an hour south of Seattle, Washington at the base of Mount Rainier. I attended college at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) where I graduated this past spring and majored in Anthropology and minored in Religion and Global Studies with a concentration in Cultural Diversity and Transnational Movement. While I was at PLU, I not only took a lot of Anthropology classes but also took a lot of classes revolving around Indigenous cultures and religions in the Pacific Northwest and my senior project/capstone was titled “Northwest Coast Spindle Whorl Designs: A Makah and Stó:lō Comparative Analysis.” I hope to work for a NW tribe someday but in the mean time I plan on getting some first hand field work experience by being a part of this field school and then hopefully getting a Field Technician position. In a year or so I plan on attending grad school but want to narrow my interests before applying.

My interest in archaeology began when I was just four years old. I had taken my first plane ride to visit my great uncle and aunt in Colorado Springs and had never been out of the Pacific Northwest. I was fascinated with how dry and hot it was there in the summer and it was my goal to see a rattlesnake. Then one day we went on a “hike” (it was probably more like a short walk but at four it seemed like a big adventure. As I was walking I came across some old dried out deer bones and thought that was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I wanted to take them home but my parents said no. Then later in our trip we went to Manitou Cliff Dwellings in Colorado and explored the in-wall dwellings and watched some of the shows; I was entranced. We then went to their gift shop and my parents told me I could pick one thing and I went straight for the book about fossils. I was hooked. After that I wanted to be a paleontologist and dig up dinosaur bones but when I was told that archaeologists dealt with the human past, I knew that was what I wanted to be “when I grew up.” Throughout middle school I switched between my desired careers multiple times but always came back to archaeology.

Another big interest of mine is traveling and I’ve had some of the best experiences while studying abroad. I got the opportunity to spend January 2014 in Neah Bay on the Makah reservation where I learned a lot about the Ozette wet site, Makah culture, and how those two interacted and still interact today. Dr. Dave Huelsbeck, Dean of Humanities at PLU who excavated at Ozette as a graduate student, headed this study abroad experience. It was interesting to not only learn from his experiences, but to see how he built a strong relationship with the community which allowed him to bring students to Neah Bay for over 20 years.

My most recent study abroad experience was to Trinidad and Tobago that is the southern most Caribbean Islands where I spent just under five months. This was such a great experience because I got to live and go to school in the community at the University of the West Indies. While there I also got the opportunity to learn the history and current cultural practices on these two unique islands who were colonized so many times. I got to participate in Trinidad’s Carnival as well as the East Indian Phagwa celebration. This trip not only broadened by horizons culturally but also helped me develop as a person.

Rex Halafihi is a third year Anthropology student at San Francisco State University. His research interests include Pacific Studies and indigenous methodologies to Archaeology. As a Pacific Islander, self-determination is pivotal to his understandings of representation. His work focuses on the basis that Asian-Pacific Islander (API) is a damaging social rubric that further marginalizes and invisibilizes Pacific Islander communities.

Rex Halafihi

Driven by DIY ethos learned from growing up within the punk community, Rex Halafihi curates a zine called Our Sea of Islands, inspired by Tongan Anthropologist Epeli Hau’ofa. The zine, written for and by Pacific Islanders, brings focus to Islanders as indigenous peoples, away from the API umbrella, in order to highlight their intersectional identities within their contemporary realities.

He is drawn to expanding the narratives of Pasifika peoples, beyond bodies for entertainment to sites of resistance and decolonization.

About me
Nathanael is a person who does things with archeology. He is an undergrad majoring in anthropology. His mother described him as a “pretty neat child.” His sister wrote on a Instagram “he is the best brother eva <sic>.” From humble beginnings a hero was born. Destined to save the world. Friends and acquaintances commemorate this day by wishing him a happy birthday on Facebook. He was born in the exotic lands of Thailand. Raised by parents he learned to talk, walk, and write papers teachers deemed above average with granting him an A+. He likes to think about smart people things like civil rights, minority empowerment, feminism, politics, morality, religion, and much more to trick people into thinking he is educated. He has a basic understanding of Thai, Isaan, Spanish, and English. In his free time he likes to do fancy things like watch documentaries, meditate, sleep, and learn languages.