David Rice:  

After high school, I pursued my academic interest in archaeology and American Indians at University of Washington. Along the way, I continued my participation in university sponsored archaeological digs in the NW. I went to graduate school at WSU in Pullman to continue my archaeological training. There I became involved with NW Indian tribes, particularly Nez Perce, Yakama, Wanapum, Colville, and Chehalis. Garfield HS Science Instructor John Putnam became interested in NW archaeology and Indian art, and joined me in archaeological studies of Indian rock images in the lower Snake River region of Washington. In 1967 I initiated pioneering archaeological survey work at the Hanford Site nuclear reservation, continuing intermittent project work there until 1988. Later, in the 1990s, I participated in the National Park Service Wild & Scenic River Study evaluation of the Hanford Reach of the Columbia River. I was surprised when I read President Clinton's Proclamation establishing Hanford Reach National Monument, to find excerpts from my writings as part of his proclamation! An unexpected opportunity to put words in the mouth of President of the United States! When I completed my PhD degree I became an anthropology professor at the University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. Initially, besides teaching, I became involved in interdisciplinary studies and practical Community Development for small Idaho communities. In the McGovern era of political reform (1972) I was elected as a Delegate to the Democratic State Convention, serving on the Human Rights Sub-committee of the Platform Committee. In 1974 I assisted the National Park Service (Washington, DC) in plans for implementing provisions of a Federal law (P.L.93-291, Moss-Bennett Bill) which authorized the Government to fund archaeological investigations. The rest of my professional career was spent in working with Federal agencies in meeting their obligations under the law. The cart was before the horse! After 6 years of nationwide explosion in archaeological excavations, public issues began to emerge: Whose heritage was being studied? What happens to recovered Indian skeletal remains? Impacts to Sacred Sites of living indigenous peoples? New Federal laws tempered the unbridled archaeological frenzy, and brought Indian Tribes into the business of Federal archaeology since 1991. In 1980 I was elected to serve as Chair of the Association for the Humanities in Idaho [now Idaho Humanities Council], funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. I brought retired Garfield HS English Instructor Claude Wilson to assist in the evaluation of the Idaho program. Also, I helped to start an Oral History Program to preserve local communities and minority heritage there. I moved back to Seattle in 1981 and was hired by the US Army Corps of Engineers as an archaeologist. At first, my work centered on civil projects at dam reservoirs in Montana and Idaho, but soon also supported military projects for Army and Air Force in various parts of the West. In August 1982, while serving as a volunteer for Salmon National Forest, I survived a small airplane crash in the central Idaho wilderness, River of No Return. For the Washington State Centennial, the Governor requested the Corps of Engineers to organize a session on "Rescue Archaeology in Pacific Development" at the international Circum-Pacific Archaeology Conference at Seattle Center; I organized and moderated the session in August 1989, attended by key archaeologists from Russia, People's Republic of China, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and a representative of the World Bank. In 1994 the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) requested assistance to set up an information workshop with Indian tribes, so since I already knew what needed to be done, I took the lead for a plan at meetings held at Fort Belvoir, VA. I was appointed as a member to the Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters Native American Inter-governmental Task Force, and worked on plans for 12 Indian workshops across the US. In the NW, my District in Seattle was asked to host an Indian workshop and conduct a needs assessment for Indian communities here. This was done between 1995-97. At this time I was designated by my commander to serve henceforth in a dual capacity as District Archaeologist and Native American Coordinator. In the Corps, I worked on many anthropological projects with tribes, such as Kootenai Indian Place Names on the Kootenai River; Traditional Uses and Sacred Sites of the Blackfeet; recovery and reburial of Indian graves with Yakama, Wanapum, Nez Perce, Umatilla, Suquamish, and Lower Elwha Klallam tribes. Emergency shoreline protection at Lummi, Quilleute, and Shoalwater Bay reservations were also accomplished with my coordination. I also arranged meetings for visits by the Assistant Secretary of the Army (CW) for meetings with tribes in the NW. In addition, I became involved in issues of habitat protection and restoration for fish & wildlife, protection for traditionally used native plants, and worked with EPA at Superfund sites at Eagle Harbor, Manchester, Bellingham Bay in Washington, and Kellogg-Wallace mining area in Idaho. In 1995-99 I brought together field crews at Yakima Training Center that included Wanapum and Yakama Indian members on archaeological crews f...Expand for more