iv. French Canadians soon constitute (22) a majority of the
white population in the territories of Oregon, Vancouver Island
and New Caledonia (covering present-day British Columbia and
Washington and Oregon States). Anglo-Saxons become the
majority with the arrival, after 1850, of many settlers during
and immediately after the gold rushes. But the Francophone
presence continues, amounting today to 2% of the total popu-
lation.

III. Nature and origin of Francophone sources.

The sources are largely of French-Canadian, French, Belgian,
Swiss and French-American origin. To date, I was able to trace
approximately 400 references. As it is not possible to list them in
their entirety here (4), I will try to provide the reader with a
description by categories relevant to the origin of these texts.

a. Texts by specialists in the social sciences and the hu-
manities, especially in anthropology and linguistics.

b. Accounts by navigators, travellers, explorers, writers,
military personnel, diplomats and administrators.

c. Text$ by missionaries.

d. Other texts.

1. Texts by-scholars in the social sciences and humanities.

On the Pacific Northwest Coast, this research began only during
the last quarter of the 19th Century. There existed, however, a real
interest in these studies since the establishment of institutions such
as the Société des Observateurs de l’Homme (1799), Société Ethno-
graphique de Paris (1839), Société de Linguistique de Paris (1863),
the latter being formed as a result of the interest of the count of
Charencey in the study of Native American languages. Although
the Francophone contribution is not of the same magnitude and
diversity as the Anglophone, it remains the second in importance,
outdistancing by far studies of Spanish, German or Russian origin.

The work of the French Canadian Marius Barbeau is by far the
most important Francophone contribution in this region. As a
member of f the French Canadian Marius Barbeau is by far the
most important Francophone contribution in this region. As a
member of the National Museum of Man in Ottawa, Barbeau
undertook not only research on Pacific Northwest Coast Native arts
and mythology (23) and on their social organization (24), but
participated as well in attempts to rescue oral traditions and showed
much interest in Native ethnohistory (25). Barbeau also studied
French Canadian folklore and cultures other then those of Northwest
Cnd poet
whose literary work has contributed to a more refined and sometimes
more intuitive knowledge of the Native American world (26).
Although he wrote in French, he also published many papers in
English.

Among the first to conduct Francophone ethnographic research
on the Pacific Northwest, was Alphonse Pinart. Pinart visited the
coast and brought to Paris an important collection of artefacts, on
which he published a catalogue in 1872 (27). Pinart also discussed
hunting and fishing practices (28), religious beliefs and languages as
well as publishing a dictionary of Chinook and Cowichan (29).

Le chronographe Volume III no. 1-2, Printemps-Eté 1986

KNOWING OTHERS...

Among the missionaries, mention must be made of the Fathers
Petitot (30) and Morice (31), not only for their work on Northwest
Indian cultures and traditions, but also on those of the Pacific Coast.

I must also mention research by Ernest Hamy, an anthropologist
who participated in the establishing of the Société des Américanistes
de Paris (1893). Hamy studied Amerindian artefacts and gives one
of the first descriptions (32) of a marvellous (and unique—only two
are known to exist) stone mask from the Nass River Indians
(Tsimshian). The French school of sociology has produced research
of great theoretical and methodological significance. The works of
Marcel Mauss and Durkheim (33), Davy and Lenoir (34) are well
known. More recently, Lévi-Strauss formulated new and fecund
hypotheses about the interpretation of artistic manifestations (35)
and mythology (36) which are shown to be closely related. Lévi-
Strauss’ interest in the Northwest Coast is apparent in many of his
works.

Research on chamanism by M.F. Guédon should be noted as
well (37). In the area of linguistic research, La Grasserie (38),
Benveniste (39) and Hagége (40), all made significant contributions.
More recently, advanced computer techniques were used in the
ethnolinguistic study of oral traditions (G. Buchholtzer, (41)). As
already stated (4), although the Francophone contribution lacks a
necessary continuity, it has managed to maintain high scientific
standards; it certainly deserves continued support and encourage-
ment.

2. Accounts of discoveries, navigations and voyages.

This is undoubtedly the most voluminous Francophone literature
on the Pacific Northwest Coast. It was regularly published in book
form between 1797 (publication of Lapérouse’s voyage (42)) and the
middle of the 19th Century but more sporadically in contemporary
times (43). This literature offers a more or less precise description
of the Pacific Northwest languages and cultures.

The very first French description of the Pacific Northwest Indians
was made by Lapérouse (op.cit., vol.II). It is primarily concerned
with the Tlingit Indians of the Southern coast of Alaska. This
description is comparable, in scientific terms, to those given by
James Cook and George Vancouver (4). In 1911, the Tlingit still
recalled Lapérouse’s visit (45).

The account of Captain Marchand (46) constitutes without a
doubt one of the best available sources of information about 18th
Century coastal Indians. It is therefore puzzling that this work is not
mentioned more often in ethnological and ethnohistorical research.
Roquefeuil (47) also provides a vivid description of certain Native
customs in the early 19th Century.

Also notable is Duflot de Mofras (48), who was strongly in favor
of a permanent French presence on the Pacific Northwest Coast.
Saint Amant (49) provided (in 1854) some striking information
about marriages between Francophones and Indian women. He also
describes certain ceremonials and discusses the first Francophone
(catholic) missionary studies of local Native languages. But unfor-
tunately, for Saint-Amant the Indian language remains a “barbarous
idiom which is not subjected to a grammatical rule whatsoever”

(50)!
33