Mica Jorgenson’s article “Into That Country to Work: Aboriginal Economic Activities during Barkerville’s Gold Rush,” successfully used a ethno-historical approach. Jorgenson was explaining the indigenous peoples reaction to the Gold Rush coming to the interior of British Columbia. At first, the indigenous people did not take the arrival well. The Europeans brought over sickness and greed, whipping out the majority of the tribes. But as the Gold Rush continued to persist in Barkerville, the attitudes began to change. The indigenous peoples got the opportunity to work and make money from the Gold Rush. This article showed both sides of the thoughts and feelings about the Gold Rush pushing up into the interior. I really enjoyed Mica’s use of information to produce this piece of history.
Read my reading log on this reading here.
This is a photo I took when I was visiting Barkerville a few summers ago. It is a very cool place to visit because you feel like you are walking downtown Barkerville in the 1800’s. The village has maintained the original buildings and all workers are dressed as though they are from the Gold Rush era. Barkerville is a very special piece of history and I am so glad that I had gotten to go enjoy it a number of times.