The collection consists of nine oral history interviews with eleven Cowichan people about knitting craft and industry related to the making of Cowichan sweaters. These interviews were recorded as part of the research for the museum exhibit "Cowichan Indian Knitting" presented at the UBC Museum of Anthropology, 1986.

The series consists of operational records of the Department of Anthropology at the British Columbia Provincial Museum and it's predecessor, the Provincial Museum of Natural History and Anthropology. The records are often referred to as the Wilson Duff Papers, as a significant portion of the series consists of original research notes made by Duff, curator of Anthropology at the museum from 1980-1965, in the course of his work with Indigenous communities in British Columbia. Some field notes of other museum anthropologists are also included, as well as correspondence, subject files, and records relating to totem poles in British Columbia.

Staff of the Department of Anthropology conducted research work documenting the history, culture, and languages of Indigenous communities in British Columbia. Records include field notes, maps, transcripts of interviews, correspondence, subject files, and copies of published and unpublished works.

The series has been arranged into the following five sub-series:

A: Wilson Duff research notes
B: Administrative records and correspondence
C: Totem poles 1950-1975
D: Subject files 1945-1968
E: Ethnology field notes

The item consists of one day book belonging to William Sinclair III, an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company and stationed at Bella Coola post. The day book itself is dated 1874, however Sinclair used it between 1878-1879 and re-wrote the dates for each entry. The day book is a private diary kept by Sinclair and not an HBC corporate record, however it documents the business activities of Bella Coola Post.

The final pages include a draft letter to I.W. Powell, Superintendent of Indian Affairs for British Columbia, on behalf of the local chief (not named). The draft letter expresses dissatisfaction on behalf of the local Indigenous people regarding broken promises. Also included among the final pages of the diary are recipes for pies and plum pudding, instructions for tanning hides, a list of British Navy vessels, and a rough translation dictionary of common words and phrases in English and an unidentified Indigenous language (possibly Nuxalk).

The diary accounts from Sinclair's nine day journey from Victoria to Bella Coola and his daily activities upon arriving at the post. There is a brief entry for each day, which sometimes consists only of an update on the weather whereas other days have more lengthy descriptions of activities. The diary includes descriptions of interactions with local Indigenous populations

CALL NUMBER: T3149:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): The obsidian trail : [tape 1] RECORDED: [location unknown], 1975 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Dr. Rudi Haering tells how he became involved in exploring the trade route along Alexander Mackenzie's trail through BC, and looking for the source of a form of obsidian used in trade among native people; X-ray techniques in archaeology; trade routes; how the three scholars (i.e., Haering, Carlson, and Nelson) got together to find the source of the mysterious obsidian; findings; problems along the trail. TRACK 2: Finding the trail from Mackenzie Pass to the Bella Coola Valley; trip from the Blackwater Ranch to Mackenzie Pass through Kluskus and Ulkatcho; Burnt Bridge Creek; canoeing down the Bella Coola River with natives; Indian story about Mackenzie.

CALL NUMBER: T3149:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): The obsidian trail : [tape 2] RECORDED: [location unknown], 1975 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Retracing Mackenzie's route from Blackwater Ranch on horseback and wagon; campsites; wildlife; artifacts; local ranches; more on campsites; Kluskoil Lake. TRACK 2: Pan Phillips' ranch; looking for obsidian in Ulkatcho mountains; more about Kluskus; other travellers; trail from Eliguk Lake to Ulkatcho; Mackenzie's accomplishment; visit to Mackenzie's rock; Saugstad house at Hagensborg.

CALL NUMBER: T1340:0001 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1969-03-24 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Ed Sparrow recounts the history of the Musqueam people including the Musqueam reserve; sites of occupation for the Musqueam people and the meaning of the Musqueam name. He continues about t;he Squamish and Capilano peoples; Indian bands in the area; intermarriage between the tribes; Kitsilano band; the arrival of Captain Vancouver; Tsimilaho; Simon Fraser; Hudson's Bay Company and missionaries. TRACK 2: Ed Sparrow recalls the first mass held in the area; early missionaries and the first church in 1902. He describes Indian religion and culture; ceremonies; dances in 1900 and potlatches. He continues with post-contact subjects: Indian life in the 1890s and 1900s; fishing; canneries in the area; farming; cattle; encroachment by the white man and the city.;

CALL NUMBER: T1340:0002 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1969-03-24 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Ed Sparrow comments on Indian-White relations; traditional hunting areas; Indian-Chinese relations; a dispute with Vancouver over taxation and services; the Shaughnessy Golf Course; education; for Indians and the Methodist Indian school at Sardis. He talks about public schools today; the Block Brothers real estate development; future development for the Musqueam reserve; real estate; relations with the city and taxation problems. [TRACK 2: blank.]

Item consists of a photograph of an Indigenous camp, possibly Songhees.

Item consists of a stereo photograph of an Indigenous camp, possibly Songhees. The photograph is very similar or identical to G-02608.

The item is an essay titled "Our Indians in British Columbia", which describes Indigenous people in the vicinity of Yale and missionary activities at Lytton. It is said to have been written by a Sister of All Hallow's School, Yale.

The file consists of a paper written by Dorothy Kennedy for the BC Indian Language Project. The paper discusses the different types of plants utilized by the traditional Squamish people, and provides information on their original Indigenous names as well as botanical identification. The paper is a photocopy from an original.

The item is a thesis on microfilm by Richard William Blacklaws entitled "Excavations at Esquimalt Lagoon: a contribution to Straits Salish pre-history." xii, 174 p: maps, figs., tables. Thesis (M.A.), Simon Fraser University, 1979. Bibliography: pages 145-153. Canadian theses, 50976.

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1967-07 SUMMARY: [No content documentation available.]