John J. Cove
Encyclopedia
John J. Cove is a Canadian anthropologist known for his work with the Gitksan First Nation of northern British Columbia
.
He was a Professor of anthropology and sociology at Carleton University
in Ottawa
.
As recounted in the introduction to his book Shattered Images (1987), he was led to examine the oral traditions and cosmology of the Tsimshianic-speaking peoples -- the Tsimshian
, Gitksan, and Nisga'a
-- in 1973 when work on a computer simulation of the traditional Northwest Coast salmon harvest led him to search mythological references to famine. Around the same time, he became influenced by the structuralist
approaches of Claude Lévi-Strauss
and, through the help of George F. MacDonald
, began an intensive study of the Tsimshianic narratives collected by Marius Barbeau
and William Beynon
.
In 1978 he attempted to begin a sabbatical year of fieldwork with the Gitksan, ostensibly studying the relationship between mythology and masks. The Gitksan-Carrier Tribal Council refused him permission to do fieldwork, on grounds of irrelevancy and lack of community control, until a compromise was reached between Cove and the director of the Gitksan land-claims office, Neil J. Sterritt, whereby Cove returned his grant money and worked for the Tribal Council studying "pre-contact relations with nature."
Eventually, he worked for eight years for the Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en
("Carrier") in research that eventually led to the Delgamuukw vs. the Queen
land-claims case.
Cove also created a catalogue of the Barbeau-Beynon files and co-edited, with MacDonald, a selection of narratives collected by Barbeau and Beynon.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
He was a Professor of anthropology and sociology at Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
As recounted in the introduction to his book Shattered Images (1987), he was led to examine the oral traditions and cosmology of the Tsimshianic-speaking peoples -- the Tsimshian
Tsimshian
The Tsimshian are an indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Tsimshian translates to Inside the Skeena River. Their communities are in British Columbia and Alaska, around Terrace and Prince Rupert and the southernmost corner of Alaska on Annette Island. There are approximately 10,000...
, Gitksan, and Nisga'a
Nisga'a
The Nisga’a , often formerly spelled Nishga and spelled in the Nisga’a language as Nisga’a, are an Indigenous nation or First Nation in Canada. They live in the Nass River valley of northwestern British Columbia. Their name comes from a combination of two Nisga’a words: Nisk’-"top lip" and...
-- in 1973 when work on a computer simulation of the traditional Northwest Coast salmon harvest led him to search mythological references to famine. Around the same time, he became influenced by the structuralist
Structuralism
Structuralism originated in the structural linguistics of Ferdinand de Saussure and the subsequent Prague and Moscow schools of linguistics. Just as structural linguistics was facing serious challenges from the likes of Noam Chomsky and thus fading in importance in linguistics, structuralism...
approaches of Claude Lévi-Strauss
Claude Lévi-Strauss
Claude Lévi-Strauss was a French anthropologist and ethnologist, and has been called, along with James George Frazer, the "father of modern anthropology"....
and, through the help of George F. MacDonald
George F. MacDonald
George F. MacDonald is a Canadian anthropologist and museum director who pioneered archaeological and ethnohistorical research on the Tsimshian and Gitksan and was the director of the Canadian Museum of Civilization from 1983 to 1998....
, began an intensive study of the Tsimshianic narratives collected by Marius Barbeau
Marius Barbeau
Charles Marius Barbeau, , also known as C. Marius Barbeau, or more commonly simply Marius Barbeau, was a Canadian ethnographer and folklorist who is today considered a founder of Canadian anthropology...
and William Beynon
William Beynon
William Beynon was a hereditary chief from the Tsimshian nation and an oral historian who served as ethnographer, translator, and linguistic consultant to many anthropologists....
.
In 1978 he attempted to begin a sabbatical year of fieldwork with the Gitksan, ostensibly studying the relationship between mythology and masks. The Gitksan-Carrier Tribal Council refused him permission to do fieldwork, on grounds of irrelevancy and lack of community control, until a compromise was reached between Cove and the director of the Gitksan land-claims office, Neil J. Sterritt, whereby Cove returned his grant money and worked for the Tribal Council studying "pre-contact relations with nature."
Eventually, he worked for eight years for the Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en
Wet'suwet'en
Wet'suwet'en are a First Nations people who live on the Bulkley River and around Broman Lake and Francois Lake in the northwestern Central Interior of British Columbia...
("Carrier") in research that eventually led to the Delgamuukw vs. the Queen
Delgamuukw v. British Columbia
Delgamuukw v. British Columbia [1997] 3 S.C.R. 1010, also known as Delgamuukw vs. the Queen is a famous leading decision of the Supreme Court of Canada where the Court made its most definitive statement on the nature of aboriginal title in Canada....
land-claims case.
Cove also created a catalogue of the Barbeau-Beynon files and co-edited, with MacDonald, a selection of narratives collected by Barbeau and Beynon.