Samuel Barrett
Encyclopedia
Samuel Alfred Barrett was an anthropologist and linguist who studied Native American
peoples. He began his career at UC Berkeley, and received the first doctorate
in anthropology
from that university's new anthropology program in 1908.
Barrett's system of naming the languages of the Pomoan group
included seven names based on geographical terms: Northern Pomo, Northeastern Pomo
, Southern Pomo
, Eastern Pomo
, Central Pomo
, Southeastern Pomo
, and Southwest Pomo (now more commonly referred to as Kashaya
). This nomenclature has been criticized for suggesting that the various Pomoan languages are dialects of a single language, when they are in fact mutually unintelligible and therefore distinct languages.
Barrett became the director of the museum in Milwaukee.
The final major work of his life was to produce a series of films about the peoples of Northern California
such as the Pomo
, particularly the Kashaya
.
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
peoples. He began his career at UC Berkeley, and received the first doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
from that university's new anthropology program in 1908.
Barrett's system of naming the languages of the Pomoan group
Pomoan languages
Pomoan is a family of endangered languages spoken in northern California by the Pomo people on the Pacific Coast. According to the 2000 census, there are 255 speakers of the languages...
included seven names based on geographical terms: Northern Pomo, Northeastern Pomo
Northeastern Pomo language
Northeastern Pomo, also known as Salt Pomo, is a Pomoan language of Northern California. There are no living fluent speakers. It was spoken along Story Creek, a tributary of the Sacramento River.-External links:...
, Southern Pomo
Southern Pomo language
Southern Pomo is one of seven mutually unintelligible Pomoan languages which were formerly spoken by the Pomo people in Northern California along the Russian River and Clear Lake. The Pomo languages have been grouped together with other so-called Hokan languages...
, Eastern Pomo
Eastern Pomo language
Eastern Pomo is a moribund Pomoan language, spoken around Clear Lake in Lake County, California by one of the several Pomo peoples. It is not mutually intelligible with the other Pomoan languages...
, Central Pomo
Central Pomo language
Central Pomo is one of the seven Pomoan languages spoken in Northern California. It is currently an endangered language, with fewer than 10 speakers...
, Southeastern Pomo
Southeastern Pomo language
Southeastern Pomo, also known as Lower Lake Pomo, is a Pomoan language of Northern California. It was spoken along the eastern coast of Clear Lake, in Northern California.-External links:...
, and Southwest Pomo (now more commonly referred to as Kashaya
Kashaya language
Kashaya is a name for a branch of Pomo people whose historical home is the Pacific Coastline of what is now Sonoma County, California, and also their severely endangered Pomoan language. The Pomoan languages have been classified as part of the Hokan language family, although this proposal is...
). This nomenclature has been criticized for suggesting that the various Pomoan languages are dialects of a single language, when they are in fact mutually unintelligible and therefore distinct languages.
Barrett became the director of the museum in Milwaukee.
The final major work of his life was to produce a series of films about the peoples of Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
such as the Pomo
Pomo people
The Pomo people are an indigenous peoples of California. The historic Pomo territory in northern California was large, bordered by the Pacific Coast to the west, extending inland to Clear Lake, and mainly between Cleone and Duncans Point...
, particularly the Kashaya
Kashaya
Kashaya has several meanings, see:* Kāṣāya, the traditional monastic robes of Buddhist monks and nuns.* Kashaya language, a distinct Pomo language on the Sonoma County Coastline, California* The subgroup of Pomo people who spoke this language...
.