INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE / JANUARY 31, 1989

McMillan Writes

New Book

on Native Peoples

It seems improbable, but Alan
McMillan’s new book Native
Peoples and Cultures of Canada
is the first major overview of na-
live groups in Canada to be
written in 57 years. Over half a
century of modern develop-
ments and research have
occurred since Diamond
Jenness’ 1932 Indians of
Canada.

McMillan, a Douglas College
anthropology instructor and ar-
chacologist living in Port
Moody, says Jenness’ text was
the standard source for under-
graduate classes doing native
studies. "That text, although a
classic, is out of date with con-
temporary native developments
and all the research since that
lime," says McMillan.

Native Peoples... is written
for both undergraduate students
and the general public. It covers

 

McMillan says his book is
an outgrowth of his
Canadian Native Studies
course at the College.

 

every region in Canada from
prehistory to the present, with
chapters on earliest arrivals, na-
tive languages, the Metis, and
national issues.

McMillan says his book syn-
thestzes the research of

 

anthropologists, archaeologists
and historians, and will be use-
ful for any course on native
peoples.

 

 

The book synthesizes
the research of
anthropologists,
archaeologists and
historians.

 

"Although its not a huge
volume (just over 300 pages), it
is fairly detailed. It includes
over 150 illustrations, as well as
maps and an extensive bibliog-
raphy," says McMillan.

McMillan worked on his
book on and off over the past
two years. "In many ways it is
an outgrowth of my Canadian
Native Studies course at the Col-
lege," he says.

McMillan’s research special-
ties deal with prehistoric B.C.
coastal culture; however, his
teaching interests are much
broader, ranging from native art
to land claims and the constitu-
tional debate. He teaches
several anthropology courses at
the College, including Indians
of British Columbia and a con-
tinuing education course on
native art. He also teaches
Northwest Coast Native Art at
Simon Fraser University.

 

 

 

 

 

With a B.A. from the Univer-
sity of Saskatchewan and an
M.A. from the University of
B.C., McMillan has taught
Anthropology and Archaeology
at Douglas College since 1970..
He is also the convenor for the
anthropology and sociology dis-
ciplines at the College. His first
book, Alberni Prehistory, was
published in 1983 by Theytus
Books, a native-run publishing
company.

Native Peoples and Cultures
of Canada, published by
Douglas & McIntyre, is avail-
able in bookstores across
Canada.