Erna Gunther facts for kids
Erna Gunther (born in 1896, died in 1982) was an important American scientist called an anthropologist. She taught for many years at the University of Washington in Seattle. Gunther studied how people use plants, a field known as ethnobotany. Her work on this topic is still very helpful and used by many today.
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About Erna Gunther
Erna Gunther went to Barnard College and finished in 1919. There, she studied with a famous anthropologist named Franz Boas. She then earned her master's degree in anthropology from Columbia University in 1920, also studying with Boas.
After finishing her studies, she moved to the University of Washington in 1921. She returned to the university in 1929 after a short break. She stayed at the university when her husband left in 1930.
Growing the Anthropology Program
In the 1920s, Erna Gunther was a key part of the new anthropology program at the University of Washington. In 1930, she became the Director of the Washington State Museum. During her time, the university's Anthropology Department grew a lot. It went from having only two teachers in 1930 to ten teachers by 1955. In 1966, she moved to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She became the head of the department there in 1967.
Her Research and Studies
Erna Gunther was an expert on American Indian cultures. Her research mainly focused on the Salish and Makah peoples. These groups live in western Washington state. She wrote many important papers about how these groups used plants (ethnobotany). She also wrote about their history (ethnohistory) and general ways of life (ethnology).
Some of her students became well-known anthropologists too. These included Wayne Suttles, Dale Croes, and Wilson Duff. In 1949, she helped pay for an archaeological dig. This dig was led by Charles E. Borden at Walen's farm near Boundary Bay.
Important Books and Studies
Erna Gunther wrote many important books and studies during her career. Here are some of her key works:
- An Analysis of the First Salmon Ceremony, American Anthropologist, Vol 28 (1926)
- Ethnobotany of Western Washington. This book is about how Native Americans in Western Washington used plants. University of Washington Press, Seattle. (1945) (You can find it online at archive.org)
- Ethnobotany of Western Washington: the Knowledge and Use of Indigenous Plants by Native Americans, University of Washington Press, Seattle (1973)
- Indian life on the Northwest coast of North America, as seen by the early explorers and fur traders during the last decades of the eighteenth century. Chicago, University of Chicago Press. (1972) (You can find it online at archive.org)
- Klallam Ethnography. This study describes the culture and way of life of the Klallam people. University of Washington Press, Seattle. (1925) (You can find it online at archive.org)
- Klallam Folk Tales. This book shares traditional stories from the Klallam people. University of Washington Press, Seattle. (1925) (You can find it online at archive.org)
- Haeberlin, Hermann and Erna Gunther. 1930. The Indians of Puget Sound. University of Washington Press, Seattle. (You can find it online at archive.org, reprint of 1945 on archive.org)
