BLOOMSBURG STATE COLLEGE
Bloomsburg
Pennsylvania
Anthropology Newsletter
Vol. 4, No. 1
September 1979
Department of Philosophy/Anthropology

Welcome back to BSC, anthropology, and the Anthropology Newsletter. The crisp
autumn air should be more than enough motivation to plunge you enthusiastically
into school life. Through the Newsletter we hope to record, predict -- and yes,
even lead -- those events of urgent anthropological interest on and around campus.
We hope you have a profitable year.
Southwest Trip. Twenty-three intrepid anthropology students joined Reeder and
Minderhout for a 3 week tour of the American Southwest this past summer (May 21June 8). Despite the bad weather (it never rains in the Southwest in May and
June - except this year) spirits were high, and the itinerary was completed.
Included on the trip were visits to archaeological sites such as Canyon Du Chelly
and Mesa Verde, surveys of contemporary Indian life, and natural wonders such as
the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest. Quotations from student journals best
describe what happened~ "It was very gratifying to finally see things that we
had been studying for four months. I got a much better realization of things like
a kiva and a sipapu after actually seeing them," (K. Baggett); "We arrived at the
Grand Canyon National Park a little before noon. It was more amazing than I had
ever dreamed. The Grand Canyon was the most spectacular sight on the tour. I
never took 20 pictures so fast. Each view had its own individual beauty."
(M. Dinsmore); "This morning we went down to Cliff Palace (Mesa Verde). It was
fantastic, even more so than from above. It was really entrancing being right
down there among those ancient dwellings. I can't get over all the work that
must have gone into building that dwelling. I was able to imagine the place as
it was when it was inhabited. I will never forget. I LOVED it! I can't express
how much it all meant to me. If someone asked me to do it again tomorrow I would!"
(S. Weissberg); "What a fantastic time!" (S. fiimall). All in all everything went
well, and the anthropologists are encouraged about other trips in the future.
Join the AAA. The American Anthropological Association is the most important
source of anthropological information and organization in this hemisphere. A
student membership ($20 annually) keeps you informed of all the events happening
internationally which are of interest to anthropologists. The AAA publishes the
American Anthropologist quarterly; this journal contains important articles in
the field, book reviews and ads, and, through its "Reports and Comments" column,
views on significant controversies. A subscription also brings 8 issues of a
newsletter which records conferences, reports on the availability of grants,
announcements, and job openings. The newsletter's Legislative Calendar keeps
anthropologists informed on the progress of legislation of direct importance to
them, while another column profiles anthropologists in non-academic employment.
The AAA sponsors an annual convention which brings anthropologists together from
all over the world. This year's conference is in Cincinnati from Nov. 27 to De c.1.
If you would be interested in atte nding one or two days of this con ferenc e contact
Dr. Minderhout.

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Archeology Class Digging New Site. This summer marked the end of excavations
sponsored by the Northumberland County Historical Society of part of 18th century
Ft. Augusta in Sunbury. BSC involvement, beginning with preliminary laying out
of the site by Assoc. Prof. Robert R. Solenberger, working under a Faculty Research
Grant, included participation of last Fall's Field Archeology Class and M.A. N.
(archeology) Club students. Now a church will be built on the site.
As a result of an archeological site survey conducted by Mr. Solenberger and David
Kowalewski, currently President of the M.A. N. Club, in the Danville area last
Winter, a number of prehistoric Indian sites were located, several of which seem
well worth excavating. Consultation with local archeologists, including Mr. Bernard
Zaborowski, Principal of the Danville Area Middle School, indicated that this was
the strategic year to finish digging a relatively small site while it is still
available, which had been opened up by pupils in the "gifted" class of that school.
This semester's Field Archeology class, which has already surveyed and laid out
the site, can expect to uncover, as at Ft. Augusta, a combination of 18th century
trade goods and aboriginal Indian artifacts. As Part of last Winter's site survey,
Solenberger learned from documentary sources that this location, near the mouth
of Mahoning Creek in Danville, was a Deleware Indian village occupied as late as
the founding of Danville in 1774, and probably until the American Revolution.
Archeology at BSC began in 1966 as a club activity. The first class, in 1967,
had a dozen students. By 1969 Mr. Solenberger was teaching a record 30 archeology
students. After a decline in the early 1970's, team-teaching with Dr. Peter Roe
brought class size back up to 20. This semester there are 10 Field Archeology
students.
M.A. N. Club plans. Current archeology students and others on campus have
already expressed an interest in both exploring nearby Indian sites and in
visiting museums and centers of contemporary Indian culture. As soon as corn is
harvested, Mr. Solenberger, faculty sponsor of the club, plans to lead a Saturday
morning surface reconnaissance to locate the probable site of an Indian village
known in the 18th century at Glassanawoge, at the mouth of Roaring Creek. Permission
to do this has already been obtained from the owner. An important site might
become available there for excavation by BSC over the next several years.
Another nearby area where a surface survey, and possible later excavation, would
be possible to M.A. N. Club members is the upper part of the Chillesquake Creek
drainage in northern Montour County. This is an area of prehistoric hunting camps,
rather than large Indian villages. The PP & L Company, which had sponsored the
Danville area survey, would welcome . the help of student archeologists in setting up
a meaningful archeological exhibit based on excavation in that area in the Visitor
Center Museum at their Montour Preserve near Washingtonville. We can count on the
help of local archeologists in locating significant sites.
One M.A. N. Club expedition already being planned for the week-end of Oct.
12, 13 & 14 (an alternative date being Oct. 19, 20 & 21) is a camping trip including
two nights in Allegany State Park, just over the line in New York State, primarily
to visit the adjoining Seneca Indian Reservation, guided by Mr. Solenberger, who has
known the Indians there since 1942, and often attended their ceremonies. A highlight
of the visit will be a tour of the new Seneca-Iroquois National Museum in Salamanca,
N.Y., with exhibits covering eco logy, archeology, and the distinctive Seneca lifeway of recent and contemporary times. Departure from the BSC campus would be

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mid-afternoon on a Friday, with return Sunday evening. So far transportation is
planned by private car, with expenses shared. If enough sign up, M.A. N. may
arrange to rent a CGA v~n, and possibly extra canoes for use in a nearby lake.
If interested please place a note saying which weekend you could go in Hr. Solenberger's
mailbox.
M.A. N. CLUB MEMBERSHIP includes all who participate in even one activity.
are no dues.

There

Book Review by Jeff Bohlin. For the reader unacquainted with the works of
Claude Levi-Strauss, Myth and Meaning would be a good introduction. This
book is a result of interviews held with Levi-Strauss by the Canadian Broadcasting System. In these interviews (and the book) Levi-Strauss generalizes upon
his research into mythology. He explains his concept of structuralism as well
as the relationship between mythology and science. Levi-Strauss also draws
connections hetween mythology and history and mythology and music, stating the
points in common. Presumed universals in mythological thought, such as binary
oppositions, are also discussed. While the book is lacking in details due to
its brevity, it is a good start for anyone who wants to read Levi-Strauss.
Interested readers will, I hope, go on to read the more difficult words of this
French anthropologist in which he provides the details lacking in Myth and Meaning.
Medical Anthropology. Dr. Minderhout has proposed a new course called Medical
Anthropology. Medical Anthropology has become one of the most exciting subfields
of anthropology, and substantial portions of last year's AAA conference and the
medical anthropology surveys cultural conceptions of disease, health, and curing
as well as health care delivery in this country and abroad. Medical anthropology
emphasized the human element in the spread and curing of disease and tries to ease
the antagonisms between Western medicine and non-Western conceptions of disease.
Hopefully other departments, such as Nursing, will find this course useful. Given
the course approval process at BSC, the course will probably not be offered until
Spring 1981.
Ethnographic Facts Why did American movies dealing with love have to be censored
before being shown in Japan? •Wrong! It is because of the scenes of men and women
kissing. Kissing is an extremely private act among the Japanese and for it to be
displayed so publicly is the ultimate in cultural bad taste. In fact it seems that
prior to Western contact, most ©f the world's cultures did not kiss at all, often
viewing the Westerner's practice as deplorable, unnatural, unhygienic, bordering
on the nasty and even definitely repulsive. For many cultures kissing suggested
cannibalism. Witness the account of the young English explorer who in 1863 chose
to kiss a pretty African girl. What happened? We quote: "She gave a shriek and
bounded from the house like a frightened fawn . • • Ananga knew that the serpent
moistens its victims with its lips before it begins its repast. All the tales of
white cannibals which she had heard from infancy had returned to her. The poor
£hild had thought that I was going to dine off her, and she had run for her lifeo"
You'll be relieved to know that like Westernization in general, kissing is spreading
among the world's peoples (often under the influence of American movies). But
there is nothing "natural" about kissing as a display of affection; kissing is
learned and culturally defined.
Help! We need it - for the Newsletter and for anthropology programs. We need
ideas to keep the Newsletter going as well as willing workers to get the issues
out. How about reviving the Anthropology Film Festival or redoing our bulletin
bo~nd in Bakeless? How about some new programs to help to promote interest in our
degree and courses? Your suggestions will be greatly appreciated.