Author: Ushriya

Author: Ushriya

The following panel will be presented at the Pacific Northwest History Conference this Friday, April 16, from 4:30-5:45. Northwest History Network member Mary Wheeler moderates the panel.

Sikhs in Early 1900 Astoria: Film, Fiction, Memoir, and History

On the eve of WW I, Astoria was a dynamic, densely multi-ethnic community with a handful of long-standing communities, including Finns and Chinese, and many new or transitory ones, including Sikhs. The Sikhs were largely farmers from the Punjab and part of an international diaspora, and found their way to the forests, railroads, and factories of the Pacific Northwest in the early twentieth century, forming a mobile, yet cohesive, community from California to British Columbia. In 1913 in Astoria these men formed the Ghadar Party whose aim was the overthrow of British rule in their homeland and which forever changed both the course of Indian politics and their fates in North America.

This panel includes interdisciplinary perspectives on a significant but often overlooked moment in Oregon history concentrated in early 1900 Astoria. Matthew Stadler’s short story, “City of Wool” looks to the improvised, dynamic terms of social life in pre-WWI Astoria as a precedent for post-national cities of the 21st century. Johanna Ogden’s historical research is grounded in post-9/11 America with its demonization of Arabs, Muslims and South Asians, and asks what the Sikhs story in Oregon can tell us about notions of “belonging” and “otherness.” Erika Surat Anderson’s short, visually lyrical film “Turbans” dramatizes her grandmother’s memoir of Astoria circa 1918, and explores the inner struggles of an Asian Indian immigrant family torn between their cultural traditions and the desire for social acceptance in America. Liisa Penner responds and provides an overview of the rich resources pertaining to this history at the Clatsop County Historical Society.

Johanna Ogden is currently studying for her master’s in history at the University of British Columbia. She has previously written on both Mexican immigrants and conscientious objectors in Oregon during WWII.

Liisa Penner received her MA in Anthropology from the University of Oregon and has live in Astoria for almost 60 years. She has been associated with Clatsop County Historical Society for most of the period since the mid 1980s in the archives and has been editor of their quarterly magazine Cumtux since 1992. She is at present the Archivist and Editor for CCHS at the Heritage Museum. Much of her time has been spent studying the period of the 1870s in the Astoria area and the many ethnic groups that populated the area.

Matthew Stadler is a novelist, essayist, and editor who has won many prizes for his work. He was commissioned by Amsterdam 2.0, a Dutch political group, to write the story “City of Wool” and more recently commissioned by the Oregon Council for the Humanities to research and write “At Liberty,” a brief history of the city of Astoria, which he presented as a “commonplace lecture” at Astoria’s Liberty Theater in February, 2007.

Mary Wheeler (moderator), is a historian (MA/Ph.D. candidate, University of Michigan) who has worked in public programs, multi-media exhibitions, professional development for educators, and public policy research.

“Turbans” is available for purchase at the Center for Asian American Film.

Sikh Pioneers, Indian American Pioneers to North America website.

More information on film recommended by Joanna Ogden, Ali Kazimi’s “Continuous Journey” here.

Richard Engeman’s book, The Oregon Companion (Timber Press), is now available. The book is beautiful — filled with historic photographs — and it has a nice heft! The writing is engaging, witty, and insightful.


The book is on the shelves at Powells. Here is a short description:


“What’s the connection between Ken Kesey and Nancy’s Yogurt? 

How about the difference between a hoedad and a webfoot? What became of the Pixie Kitchen and the vanished Lambert Gardens?The Oregon Companion is an A-Z handbook of over 1000 people, places, and things. From Abernethy and beaver money to houseboats, railroads, and the Zigzag River, an intrepid public historian separates fact from fiction – with his sense of humor intact. Entries include towns and cities, counties, rivers, lakes, and mountains; people who have left a mark on Oregon; industries, products, crops, and natural resources. Includes more than 160 historical black and white photos. This entertaining and delightfully meticulous compendium is an essential reference for anyone curious about Oregon.”

Richard Engeman is a Northwest History Network board member and associate. He graduated from Reed College and holds graduate degrees from the University of Oregon and the University of Washington. Formerly the public historian at the Oregon Historical Society, he serves on the Portland Landmarks Commission and on the boards of the Oregon Museums Association and the Oregon Century Farm & Ranch Program (for which he wrote and compiled recipes for Eating it Up in Eden: The Oregon Century Farm & Ranch Cookbook, which will soon be available).

Library Reopening:

The Oregon Historical Society has announced that beginning April 2, the research library will be open 12 hours a week, and that all of the collections will be accessible during those hours (Thursday, 1-5; Friday, 1-5; and Saturday 1-5).
While the Oregon Historical Society previously employed 14 professional archivists and reference librarians, it now only employs 3.5 staffers (one of which works full time in the Gresham warehouse, and another position will expire in May — leaving 1.5 professional staff), making it apparent that volunteers will be doing work previously done by professional staff. This raises legitimate questions about the safety of the collections, which are irreplaceable. 
Future of the Collections:
Dr. George Vogt, the executive director has indicated that the Society may give the library and its collections to another entity, such as the Oregon University Systems or the Multnomah County Library.
 We were very pleased to hear Dr. Vogt say (on OPB’s “Think Out Loud”) that OHS would transfer the collections intact. 
From meeting minutes of the Board of Directors of the Oregon Historical Society, it is apparent that Dr. Vogt has decided to consolidate financial resources in the Society’s museum. Here are comments of Dr. Vogt and board members regarding the financial situation and their decision to lay off most of the library’s professional staff:

Jan. 9, 2009, Notes from OHS Board of Directors meeting
“Dr. Vogt said it is difficult to plan any contingency without a bottom line dollar amount. Some preliminary ideas:
 
  • His thought is to keep the museum and focus on education first, then see what else we can sustain.
  • Another thought was looking at real estate prospects on the block.
  • Another is to consider a partnership with another entity to fund the library and its personnel, thereby keeping some of the staff expertise in place.”
 
“Different scenarios and options were discussed by the committee.
  • Keep the museum and education, close the library.
  • Keep the library and close the museum.
  • Give the library back to the University of Oregon
  • The state should fund our collections and preservation.”
Jan. 29, 2009, Notes from OHS Finance Committee Minutes
“Jim Richardson suggested closing the museum for two days and only opening for five days to send a message. Dr. Vogt said our focus was on school children and education he would rather not do that.
 
Dr. Vogt said if we transferred the library to Portland State or Lewis and Clark or the University of Oregon, we could keep the museum.” …
 
“Dr. Vogt said he would rather not see the Quarterly and the rentals disappear, and he would like to place them on a pending list (if further reductions were necessary). Jim Richardson suggested revisiting the pending list on July 1. He thought it was an excellent plan for the short-term.”
 
Feb. 17, 2009, Notes from OHS Board of Trustees Meeting
Discussion of Proposed 2009 Budget Revisions, including the elimination of 12 positions, “mostly in the library, and one position in Development.”
 
“Jackie Peterson-Loomis said this would be the equivalent of decapitating the library; she urged the board not to rush to judgment. She did not believe it was appropriate for the board to chop off a big chunk of the institution. There needs to be board and public discussion.”
 
“Carrell Bradley said we have to do what’s best for the public. He felt there was a lot of duplication between the OHS library and the Wilson room of the Multnomah library; many things are the same.”
 
“Motion: Guy Randles moved to approve the reduction plan and to authorize the Executive Committee to revise the budget as needed based on other events that may occur. Jim Richardson seconded and the motion was carried. Jackie Peterson-Loomis voted nay, and there were several abstentions.”
 
March 24, 2009, George Vogt on Think Out Loud 
Guest George Vogt, Executive Director of the Oregon Historical Society, elaborated on OHS’s preliminary conversations with the “various entitles” mentioned in prior OHS releases:
 
Vogt: “At the time that we announced the budget reductions and the layoffs [February 27, 2009], I had really an outpouring of offers of assistance from the university community in Portland, from librarians all across the state, and university systems. And we’ve had conference calls and meetings to talk about what might be. Some of the things that have been discussed within those groups, were the concept of making the research library a part of the Oregon University system — it is that important a library that one could consider that.”
 
TOL Host: “Intact? In one piece?”
 
Vogt: “Yeah, probably operated where it is now, but part of the university system. And there have been suggestions also that perhaps one or the other of the universities within that system could step forward to help. There have been only the very most preliminary discussions with the university system, and we’re still exploring to see whether there are any interests there that could help us. We’re also looking elsewhere. Multnomah County is a possible sister to the library as well. In fact, the library used to get several hundred thousand dollars a year in support from Multnomah County, so there’s some precedent for that. But at this point — and I’m not trying to be coy about this — there’s rather little to report, other than, discussions are underway, and I’m making tracks to talk to people.” …