Darren Ranco, Chair of Native American Programs and Associate Professor of Anthropology, will be giving this year’s 海角社区 Heritage Lecture on “Protecting Wabanaki Basketmaking Traditions Threatened by an Invasive Pest: Addressing 鈥淲icked Problems鈥� Through Collaborative Research.”

Wabanaki (Micmac, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot) tribal basketmaking traditions use brown ash trees as their primary source material. This resource is threatened by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive pest from China first found in North American near Detroit in 2002, which has spread to over 35 states and provinces and killed millions of ash trees. It was discovered in 海角社区 in 2018 for the first time. In this talk, Dr. Darren Ranco will discuss his nine-year research project to work with tribal basketmakers and other key stakeholders to prepare for the arrival of this pest in 海角社区. He will discuss how his team used both sustainability science and indigenous research methods to do research that was inclusive, relevant, impactful, and culturally appropriate for the research partners. He will emphasize the ways that Wabanaki basketmakers and indigenous researchers use indigenous forms of diplomacy to assert sovereignty and influence state and federal resource to this invasive pest.

The lecture will be held Friday, October 25, from 4:00-5:00 pm in聽Bodwell Lounge, Collins Center for the Arts. Prior to the lecture, from 3:00-4:00 pm there will be a reception in the CCA鈥檚 Hudson Museum. Both events are free and open to the public. Sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The 海角社区 Heritage Lecture showcases research and creative work about the state of 海角社区, with particular emphasis on 海角社区鈥檚 sense of place, history, diverse cultures, society, and policy.

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