"I think the most interesting thing about my work is when I'm out in the
field doing research and our American ways start to look like the odd ones,"
says Juliana Flinn, a cultural anthropologist and professor.
For instance, North American traditions seemed strange when she was doing
research on Micronesians in the Pacific. In Micronesia, attitudes toward adoption
are very different than Western ones.
"A woman said to me, 'Juliana, if you had 10 kids and your sister didn't
have any at all, you wouldn't share your kids with her?' In North America,
I'd be a bad mother if I had my sister adopt some of my kids, but to Micronesians
I'd be very selfish," she explains.
The Micronesians also have a different attitude towards their parents.
"These people felt we are quite cruel to our parents -- leaving them when
we get married, leaving them alone to fend for themselves, after everything
they've done for us."
While Flinn has always been interested in other people's thinking, her
love of culture was made stronger by traveling. "I knew I was interested in
the way people lived in other places," she says. "I was especially interested
in the Pacific Islands, perhaps because of reading the novel Mutiny on the
Bounty."
During high school, Flinn traveled to France, and then went to Micronesia
as a member of the Peace Corps. She even had a pen pal in Tonga.
"When I was living in France, I became even more interested in learning
about other cultures. I wanted the chance to live another way of life, rather
than just experiencing it as a tourist."
There was a name for this interest -- anthropology. She enrolled in college
and majored in the field. "The biggest attraction was experiencing another
way of life first-hand, over a period of time."
Those early courses were just the beginning for Flinn, who now has her
PhD in cultural anthropology. It took almost 10 years to gain her PhD, but
for Flinn it was a labor of love. "I love having the opportunity to live with
people very different from me, getting to know them and learning other ways
of looking at the world," she explains.
Now finished her degree, Flinn spends most of her time in the classroom
teaching students. As much as she loves teaching, she wishes she had more
opportunities to travel to Micronesia to continue her research. "I've been
back to Micronesia four times since I received my PhD, but I've only been
able to go during the summer months when I'm not teaching. Ideally, I'd like
to be gone for a year or so."
Flinn says that fieldwork is important partly because her experience with
other cultures rubs off on what she teaches her students. "I feel as though
I help people become more tolerant, sensitive and open-minded," she says.
"I especially like teaching students here, many of whom have little experience
with different people. I have a chance to have an impact."
While Flinn tries to change the world by educating students, Bruce Miller
is one anthropologist who directly changes the lives of native people. Miller,
an associate professor, has testified in court cases on native issues.
"One time, I was testifying in a case about a spirit questing site -- a
sacred site. There was evidence of stone tool making at the site. This was
a place where people would come to get spirit powers, where non-human beings
could have relations with humans. The natives saw it as degrading when someone
wanted to take some gravel from the area. I had to testify as to why they
shouldn't blow the site up."
Unfortunately, Miller's story doesn't have a happy ending. "That was a
long, horrifying story. We lost the case. It was really very sad," he remembers.
Many of Miller's court cases involve intense research and long court battles.
"One case I spent nine years working on. I was helping to defend treaty rights
to shellfishing. The state was [stopping] them from shellfishing -- a right
they had earned under a treaty of 1855. We won that case."
Miller insists that his work is only one part of what he believes is a
struggle for justice. Still, he continues to help natives with their treaty
rights because he says Western society should keep the promises
it makes. "For me, democracy depends on dominant society -- that's our society
-- holding on our word. Social justice depends on us doing things right. That
is why I go to court. We cannot live in justice if we treat others with injustice
-- it corrupts our society," he says.
While Flinn travels to Micronesia for her fieldwork, Miller steps out his
front door. "Right here...there are people whose way of understanding the
universe is different than mine. That can be just as rich an experience as
going to central Africa or Asia."
Miller believes that the city he lives in is a better place because of
its variety of cultures. "It's important that we have this cultural diversity
because societies tend to narrow their own focus and limit their viewpoint.
There is great beauty in the ideas of others."
As a professor, Miller tries to explain these ideas to his students. But
he doesn't limit his teaching to the classroom. Native culture is something
Miller wants to share with his children. "I've taken my kids to winter spirit
dancing. This is where people gather together in the wintertime with spirit
powers because it is an important time of year. The dancers are wearing particular
costumes and paints."
What did his children think of winter spirit dancing? "They were well tuned
in to it," says Miller. "They think a lot about the idea of spirits and the
universe. It is part of the regular discussion in our house." Miller feels
his children and students aren't the only ones who need to be exposed to other
cultures.
He is one anthropologist who would like to see more people interested in
the subject. "We need people who are willing to spend time with members of
other communities. It is a real gift to know the ideas of those whose view
of the universe is different than our own."