Abstract This paper examines the Native American tribe of Southern California, the Chumash, one of the few New World peoples who regularly navigated the ocean. The paper points out that they built plank canoes, unlike most other North American native tribes whose canoes were of an unsophisticated hollowed-out tree trunk design. Only Polynesian seafarers from the distant South Pacific were thought to use similar plank boats to explore and colonize the various islands of the Pacific over a thousand or more years ago. The paper draws a possible connection between the two peoples according to both linguistic and archaeological evidence. From a purely linguistic standpoint, the Chumash word for plank canoe, "tomolo", may be derived from the Polynesian word "tumu-raa'au", referring to the wooden plank boats used by Polynesian explorers. The paper concludes that these findings regarding the Chumash wood plank canoe may open the door to seeing Native American culture in a whole new light, and even call into question old orthodoxies about migration patterns.
From the Paper "Due to the vast size of the area that eventually became known as California, there were at one time or another dozens of small Native American tribes who inhabited the region, differing widely in language, culture and lifestyle, due to the great variety of environmental conditions they found themselves in (desert, mountain, seacoast, etc.) The Chumash are a Native American tribe who historically made their home along the southern coastal regions of California, stretching roughly from the vicinity of what is now Santa Barbara in the north down to Ventura in the south, but (to a lesser degree) even extending as far south as what is now Malibu ("Chumash.") They also lived on the three largest of the Channel Islands: Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel. The Channel Islands, located about 20 miles off the coast near present day Santa Barbara, are the largest offshore islands on the West Coast of North America ("Channel Islands.") This offshore presence was unique to the Chumash among California Indian tribes and will have a central place in the subsequent examination of their seafaring abilities and possible trans-Pacific origins."
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses, and analyzes the topic of Frederick Jackson Turner. Specifically, it examines Turner's essay, "The Significance of the Frontier in American History."
From the Paper "Frederick Jackson Turner's essay discusses the closing of the American western frontier, and what it means for the American people. The historical significance of the frontier movement cannot be denied, and Turner's question lingers, what will forge American history now that the dominance and dominion of the frontier has vanished? He eloquently writes, "American social development has been continually beginning over again on the frontier." He notes many areas of the frontier movement have been studied, but economic and historic significance remains open to scrutiny. Thus, he sets up his thesis, that the frontier offers a "fertile field for investigation" and that there will certainly be problems and questions resulting from the ongoing investigation."
Abstract This paper examines how the fifteenth century represents a zenith in global exploration and discovery and perhaps harbours the most dramatic explosion of geographical possibility of any age. It looks at how Christopher Columbus? discovery of the New World, Vasco da Gama's rounding of the Cape of Good Hope and Sebastien del Cano's circumnavigation of the globe were all significant steps in the localisation of the fifteenth century world.
From the Paper "The origins of European expansion are seen by many to lie in the capture by the Portuguese of the Moroccan city of Ceuta in 1415 . This foothold on African soil created the potential for European expansion, begun with the Portuguese advancement down the west coast of Africa and ultimately realised in 1498 with Vasco da Gama's rounding of the Cape of Good Hope. The capture of Ceuta is certainly significant in the context of this argument as it helped, in no small part, stimulate the mind of the fifteenth century western European individual towards new ideas of travel, exploration and discovery. However, the increase in physical possibility in the fifteenth century stems not solely from one event, but from a number of ideas and innovations formulated in part over a much longer period."
Abstract This paper explains that the Great Lakes Basin offers an abundance of ecological points to support ecotourism; moreover, if ecotourism becomes an important economic and social factor, it will have a positive affect on some of the ecological concerns of the region. The author points out that the tourism industry in the Great Lakes Basin is stagnated and the most appealing method to this revitalizing program is ecotourism, which would bring tourism to the area to generate both income to continue conservation efforts and interest in conserving the Great Lakes Basin's ecosystem and historic sites. The paper states that the first thrust of developing an ecotourism program is to survey Canadians and visitors to determine their interest in eco-travel and to evaluate potential financial benefits and to create an agency to manage ecotourism efforts in the Great Lakes Basin. Tables, charts, maps and illustrations.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Sustainability, Community Interest, Marketing and Mapping
Exotic Biologicals of Interest to Tourism and Ecotourism
Tourism Policies: Legal Issues Affecting Tourism Development in the Area
Tourism Statistics
Canoeing, Kayaking and Sailing
Power Boating
Recreational Fishing
Swimming
Most Popular Sports
Recommendations for Short, Medium and Long Terms
Ontario Tourism Forecast
Short-Term Recommendation
Medium- Term Recommendation
Long- Term Recommendation
Assorted Maps Useful for Planning Ecotourism
From the Paper "In addition to the scientific ecotourism potential in this species migration (and the list above is a very small part of it), there is the land-based cultural aspect, particularly sustainable if exploited because "the history of exploration, colonization, settlement, and commercial development of the Great Lakes by European settlers spans almost four centuries. Throughout this period, non-indigenous aquatic animal and plant species have been introduced both intentionally and accidentally." Here, cultural history also enters the picture because, for medicinal purposes, early settlers imported non-native plants, such as bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) as well as importing favored edibles, such as watercress (Rorippa nasturtium aquaticum), which thrived in the new environment, pushing out older native species."
Abstract This paper examines how the success of the explorations of Samuel Hearne, Alexander Mackenzie and Simon Fraser were dependent on the experience and assistance of natives. It looks at how tools such as canoes, snowshoes, and sledges were essential as travel would have been difficult or impossible without them and how the natives themselves were crucial to the explorers, working as navigators, pilots, translators, protectors, hunters, and advisors. It also examines how native knowledge of local terrain was often exploited by the Canadians in the charting of the North and West.
From the Paper "In addition to transportation, the subsistence of the explorers can also be credited to Native culture. All three explorers relied heavily on indigenous hunting and food preparation for their survival. Mackenzie wrote, "we depended for our support upon what the [Native] hunters could provide for us...They now, however, very shortly procured us as much fresh meat as we required."4 And later, in the company of friendly locals, he claimed, "on my expressing a desire to partake of their fish, they brought me a few dried trout, well cured, that had been taken in the river which they had lately left."5 The explorers very existence depended on the provisions of Native hunters. But seizure of food was only one aspect of the assistance of the tribes."
Abstract This paper examines how Pablo Escobar Gaviria, as well as his closest associates of the Medellin cartel, managed to virtually dominate the nation of Colombia throughout the 1980s and into the beginning of the 1990s. Among the forces used to attain this unbelievable level of power and dominance were huge, trained armies, advanced assault weapons, widespread corruption and bribery and various violent methods that often included cold-blooded murder. The paper shows that the effects of Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel are still felt strongly today all over Colombia. The paper argues that constructive action must be taken to ensure that neither an individual nor a drug cartel ever rise to their level of power again.
From the Paper "By the beginning of the 1990s Pablo Escobar had built the largest and most lucrative illegal, undercover industry that the world had ever seen. In 1989 his cartel controlled an estimated 75 percent of the world's cocaine supply, and he himself had become a multi-billionaire (Jordan 82). On August 18 of that same year, both a Colombian police commandant and the front-running Liberal party presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan were assassinated. By the end of the night the Colombian government issued an emergency decree against the entire drug trade, and six days later, the Medellin cartel declared a war against the government and the industrial and political oligarchy."
Abstract The paper discusses the Kwakiutl tribe, who lived in northern part of Vancouver Island, Canada. The paper describes them as a hunter-gatherer society, hunting deer, bears and moose, with their main source of food coming from the sea. The paper further examines their mode of dress, and their use of masks as adornment. The writer examines how their culture was rich with dances and theatrical performances which they improved by adapting and borrowing from other tribes. The paper concludes that although many aspects of Kwakiutl life have now disappeared, the people themselves survive and take an active part in fishing and lumbering pursuits in their old tribal territory.
From the Paper "They hunted deer, bears and moose but their main source of food remained to be from the sea. Sea-lions, porpoises and seals were abundant in the sea. Crabs, mussels and clams along with cod, herring and several species of salmon were also abundantly found in the sea life. These proved to be the main source of food for the Kwakiutl tribe and it was the Kwakiutl man who went out to hunt the food while the role of the woman was to gather berries and shellfish. The Kwakiutl were best at making canoes and were capable of making large canoes which they used in their hunt for seafood."
Discusses the feelings of the people of Mexico regarding tourism during the holiday, Day of the Dead, based on Lucero Morales Cano and Avis Mysyk's article "Cultural tourism, the State, and the Day of the Dead".
Abstract The paper is a review of an article entitled "Cultural tourism, the State, and the Day of the Dead", which the writer find particularly relevant to him because of his plans to observe Day of the Dead celebrations during an upcoming visit to Mexico. The paper then relates the emotions of the writer prior to an intended visit to Mexico during the "Day of the Dead " celebrations, noting that there is a conflict between the authorities who welcome tourism on this holiday and the civilians who see tourism as intrusion into a sacred historical ritual and oppose it being promoted as a tourist attraction. The paper also explains that the community is divided on the subject, as many recognize the economic importance of tourism.
From the Paper "These dynamics are evident in Mexico, particularly concerning how to mediate the conflict between the state and local residents over the tourist attraction that Day of the Dead festivities have become because of globalization. Cano and Mysyk have studied the problems which have arisen in the village of Huaquechula since 1988, when the one road leading into the village was paved for the benefit of tourists and the village became a part of the tourism circuit. In the process of studying the impact of these developments, Mysyk surveyed the villagers regarding their appreciation of the presence of tourists, their behavior, their feelings about tourists photographing or videotaping altars, and related issues."
