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Faculty of Graduate Studies

Emma Wilton

  • BA (University of Victoria, 2022)

Notice of the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Master of Arts

Topic

Archiving the Past, Present, and Future: Creating a uniquely huuʕiiʔatḥ archival framework

Department of Anthropology

Date & location

  • Tuesday, April 21, 2026

  • 10:30 A.M.

  • Huu-ay-aht Office, Port Alberni

  • & Virtual

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

  • Dr. Andrea Walsh, Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria (Co-Supervisor)

  • Dr. Tommy Happynook, Department of Anthropology, UVic (Co-Supervisor) 

External Examiner

  • Dr. Kevin Neary, Traditions Consulting Services Inc.

Chair of Oral Examination

  • Dr. Michael Ma, Department of Sociology, UVic

     

Abstract

This thesis explores ways in which huuʕiiʔatḥ cultural knowledges are central to the creation of a physical archive of huuʕiiʔatḥ cultural Belongings, thus providing an alternative to a traditional colonial archival framework where often huuʕiiʔatḥ cultural Belongings are categorized in non Indigenous contexts. The Huu-ay-aht First Nations identified the need for a culturally specific archive to record and store cultural knowledge gathered during the negotiations of the Maa nulth Final Agreement. I was invited by huuʕiiʔatḥ hereditary chief ḥapinyuuk Dr. Tommy Happynook on behalf of his community, to work on developing a culturally specific archive for the Huu-ay-aht First Nations. I developed a research methodology framed by three phases: Showing Up, Listening, and Reflecting. The development of this methodology was prompted by my engagement in community-led discussions with the ḥaẃiiḥ and nananiiqsu Councils. Through my community discussions, a framework featuring huuʕiiʔatḥ hereditary houses as the main organizing structure with layers for maatmaas (House), family, individual, and ʔiiḥmisʔap (Belongings) emerged. Information held in these “layers” of the archive ensure culturally safe access to Belongings and knowledges, and promotes the transmission of cultural knowledges amongst generations. As a case study, this thesis serves as a point of departure for consideration by Indigenous Nations and researchers seeking to create a culturally specific archival framework. Woven throughout the pages are my honest retellings and reflections of events as a non-Indigenous anthropologist. I argue I cannot remove myself from this research as it is my subjectivities and lived experiences which have brought me to this point in time to conduct this research. Relationality is core to how I conducted this research and the archival framework itself. I reflect on my research relationships, my understanding of Witnessing, and what I have gained from this research into my professional career.

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