We’re back today with everyone’s favourite series, Historian’s Histories! If you’d like to see more posts from this series, you can do so here. This latest entry features fellow Cape Bretoner and Yukon trekker Heather Green. She was kind enough to take some time from her busy adventure schedule to share with us!
Heather Green is a post-doctoral fellow with the Wilson Institute in Canadian History at McMaster University where she studies transnational tourism in the Yukon, specifically the rise of sport hunting, conservation policy, and Indigenous engagement. She is also a Fulbright Canada scholar with the University of Arizona examining the ways in which Indigenous groups in Arizona developed guiding and outfitting businesses for tourists in the early 20th century. She is also this year’s New Scholars representative for NiCHE! You can find her on Twitter @heathergreen21 usually tweeting about #envhist, the Yukon, and her dog, Whiskey!
What is your background (education, life experience, etc..)?
I’m a proud Cape Bretoner who grew up (literally) next to the Atlantic Ocean in a fishing family. My education trajectory was a fairly straightforward one – I’m one of those people who have never taken time off between degrees and have all three of my degrees in history (BA from Cape Breton University, MA from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and PhD from University of Alberta). I’ve had some pretty cool jobs, though, like working as an archival assistant with the Beaton Institute during my undergrad and the summer after graduation which gave me great insight into the operation of archives and lots of respect for the great folks who work there! I’ve also worked as a researcher for Parks Canada and the Unama’ki Institute for Natural Resources as an undergrad. Before I scored these jobs, I had been working in a convenience store for three or four years, so being employed as a researcher and archivist really made me realize how much I loved this work and motivated me to try and make a go of it.
What drew you to history in the first place?
I distinctly remember the very first class I went to on my first day of university at CBU was a “History of Civilization” type class taught by Andy Parnaby. By the end of that week, three classes later, I was hooked. I had entered university planning to major in English and get a B.Ed, but by the end of first year I switched my major to history and enrolled in as many classes as I could. I was completely fascinated by the complexity of history. It’s a hard discipline! I marvelled at how the past is both “a foreign country” yet there are so many similarities and continuities to the present. And I thrived off the investigative aspects of research. I also think the teaching excellence of many of my history profs at CBU helped me connect to the material.
But, outside of the university setting, history has always been a big part of my daily life. Cape Breton is a place that really celebrates its history – there are memorials everywhere, local history has a huge market, historical tourism attracts locals just as much as people from away. There is a strong arts scene that includes history (and often reinterprets history) in art, music, and theatre. My grandfather is also a masterful storyteller and whenever I go home I so look forward to hearing what stories about the past he’ll bring up. So, I grew up steeped in local history, though I didn’t necessarily appreciate or realize that.
Why did you decide to become a historian?
Honestly, because I love doing history. With each new project I work on, I come up with more questions and more project ideas to work on. Once I started grad school I realized really quickly how exciting I found research, especially fieldwork and knew I wanted to keep doing this.
Why did you decide to focus on your particular area of study?
It was a total serendipity situation. I had applied to two schools for my MA, and was totally prepared to go to one of them, when, at the very last moment while I was drafting the email to tell that school I accept their offer, I got an email from John Sandlos at MUN saying he read my proposal to work on issues of deindustrialization and post-closure communities in Atlantic Canada and thought I’d be a great fit for the Abandoned Mines in Northern Canada project. I had never considered studying the North, nor did I consider myself an environmental historian, but I decided it would be good to get out of my Atlantic-Canada comfort zone and jump into something completely new and extremely intriguing. It worked out for the best – I’ve completely fallen in love with the North and spend as much time in the Yukon as I can!
If you didn’t go study your chosen area, why kind of history do you think you would want to do?
My primary focus so far has been on resource extraction and Indigenous communities. I’ve been increasingly interested in health in Northern communities, though that isn’t too distant from my current work and I anticipate a small project in the next few years. An area that I find fascinating to read about is social movements in the ‘60s and ‘70s, so maybe I’d get into that if I wasn’t where I am now.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
There were three solid careers I considered growing up: a teacher, a librarian, and a psychologist. I suppose, in a way, I ended up borrowing aspects from each!
What kind of work do you do as a historian?
I’m currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Wilson Institute for Canadian History at McMaster and a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Arizona. Both of these positions include undertaking research projects. My Wilson fellowship also includes teaching and helping organize workshops throughout its’ tenure. Research is what sparked my passion for history, but teaching has grown to become one of my favorite parts of being a historian. Watching the ways students connect with the past and challenge their own beliefs and perspectives is a fantastic experience! I’m also beginning my position as the NiCHE New Scholars representative this year, where I work to connect emerging scholars in Canadian and global environmental history within a network of peers and provide opportunities to reflect on our field. I’ve got some new initiatives in the works for NiCHE New Scholars this year and can’t wait to see how they work out!
One of my greatest desires in studying history is to make it meaningful and engage more in contemporary social justice issues or policy directives. My research on the environmental history of mining in Northern Canada so far has helped me realize the importance of interrogating existing historical narratives. Moving forward, I hope to develop stronger relationships in the locations where I work and undertake community-driven projects.
What is the coolest and/or strangest thing you’ve ever found or learned while doing research?
I once found some snippets of animal skins and furs tucked inside various folders at a visit to Library and Archives Canada when I was doing research on mining in the Arctic which was pretty neat. They were from a file discussing restrictions places on Inuit hunting and trapping in the 1970s. The strangest part, though, was this image drawn/etched into a hide. I have no idea what is if from – I searched the files for some sort of context but it seemed to be randomly placed.
What is your favourite part about being a historian? And what is your least favourite part?
There are many favorite parts, but I’ll highlight four. First, I love the excitement of piecing together evidence and discovering a story. History is truly an investigative discipline and many times we start with very little evidence and lots of questions. Second, while history can often be a solitary affair I have found such a supportive and kind network of peers among historians. Having conversations among multiple platforms helps keep my imagination going and feel less isolated. Fourth, I love being in the archives. I appreciate the quiet and calm of the space, knowing how much rich and valuable material is nearby, and just taking the time to sit with my thoughts. I also like to use the time when I’m photographing material to listen to my favorite true crime podcasts and Nature’s Past, of course! Finally, I adore the fieldwork aspect of doing environmental history. I love that I get to travel to different locations and talk with people about their experiences and memories from the past and how that impacts their present.
My least favorite part, at the stage I am at in my career now, is the instability of the job. Not knowing where I will be in five years or even next year is tough when it comes to making decisions for the future.
Why do you think we, as a society, should study history?
Learning from the past is essential to planning for the future. I believe this has become particularly clear through current concern about climate change and our climate future, but the list of the ways in which the past informs the present are endless. History has shaped all aspects of the society that we live in – both the good and the bad – so knowing this and understanding this are critical for planning for our collective future.
If you could go back in time, whether to live or just visit, which time and place would you pick and why?
In keeping with my response from earlier, I’d be cool to go back and visit the late 60’s or early 70’s and witness some of the changes North American society experienced. Plus, the 1970s obviously had the best music!
What is your favourite historical book/film/museum/etc, and why?
I adored the Canadian Museum of History. I have only been once, but it still stands out for me for the huge collection they have. I still love the film Dance Me Outside; it isn’t without its problems, but not only is it a great film to watch, I’ve also found it an effective teaching tool in classes to help students connect with both past and present issues of colonization that continue into the present. Lately I continue to also enjoy Angry Inuk – another film I have used in a class that generated thoughtful discussion among students.
In your opinion, what is the most important event or person in Canadian history that everyone should know about?
It’s impossible to narrow this down to one event or person, and the fear that highlighting once might overshadow other important answers is real. However, in my own personal interests, currently I believe that the long history of colonization, displacement, and discrimination which continues into the present is one of the most important streams of events that has shaped Canadian history. Current debates, conversations, and attempts at reconciliation and the TRC have grown out of a long and often ugly history of Indigenous-Settler relations that impacts everyone living in Canada today.
Special thanks to Heather Green for this fantastic interview! Don’t forget to follow her (and Whiskey) on twitter @heathergreen21 !! At some point we really need to figure out how many of our fellow Cape Bretoners out there are currently in the field. I hope you enjoyed this week’s blog post. If you did, please consider sharing it on the social media platform of your choice. And don’t forget to check back on Sunday for the last Canadian History Roundup of 2018! See you then!
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