A REPORT ON THE ORAL TRADITIONS OF THE 
NORTH PACIFIC RIM, A PERFORMANCE 
WORKSHOP 
(Held at Fort Ross, California, 4-10 November 1997) 

Ronelle Alexander, 
University of California, Berkeley 

This workshop, the inaugural event of the newly 
formed Society of Living Traditions (a California not 
for profit corporation) and the Program on Tradition 
and Community (based at UC Berkeley), was intend­
ed as a pilot experiment. Workshop participants 
came not only from different geographic regions 
(Russia, Siberia, Alaska, California, Scotland and 
Holland), but also from different strata of life 
experience. They comprised scholars (each with 
experience in both field research and academic 
writing), traditional performers (singers, dancers, 
storytellers), media artists (film-makers, audio 
specialists, photographers), educators in local 
schools, and students (from high school to university 
level). 

Approximately thirty participants met over six 
days; audio, video and photographic records were 
made of most of the events. The central locus of the 
workshop was Stillwater Cove Ranch on the north-
em California coast, where most participants also 
lived and took their meals. The village-like setting, 
with outdoor grounds, separate cottages, and the 
large central lodge with stone fireplace, created a 
communal atmosphere highly conducive to creative 
work and intense discussion. Three shorter sessions 
of the workshop took place in the museum audito­
rium of the Fort Ross State Historical Park. At two of 
these, visiting Russian scholars gave multi-media 
presentations about their field work with Siberian 

ST7 SEEFA Journal 1998, Vol. III No. 1



native communities, and at the third, participants 
watched the film Porno Shaman. Made by a local 
film-maker*, this 20-minute documentary recorded a 
re-enactment of a healing session conducted by 
Essie Parrish, the late spiritual leader of the local 
Qashaya Porno native settlement. 

The intense cross-cultural discussion which 
took place during all these meetings, between 
natives representing the different traditions, and the 
scholars who study these traditions (themselves 
representing different countries and disciplinary 
training), allowed each to reach a new and better 
understanding of the other's work and viewpoint. 
Students who took part in these discussions, one of 
whom aided in translation for the Siberian partici­
pants, and another of whom is of mixed native/ 
western parentage, gained valuable experience and 
direction for future work. 

Additional workshop events took place at the 
Fort Ross School, the HopKiln Winery in neighboring 
Healdsburg, and in the outdoor stockade area of the 
Fort Ross State Historical Park. The latter event, 
which was open to the general public, began with a 
traditional blessing offered by three of the children 
of Essie Parrish, the late spiritual leader of the 
Qashaya Porno tribe which originated on the land 
now occupied by the Fort. These representatives 
remained in the place of honor throughout the 
afternoon, during which workshop participants 
representing the different but related native 
traditions presented their art. In this outdoor 
setting representing their historical background, 
members of the Fort Ross community were able both 
to interact with Russians, Siberians, Alaskans and 
other native Californians, and to pay respect to the 
native Californians whose land this originally was. 
Members of the local community were invited to 



Stillwater Cove that evening for an informal gather­

ing with workshop participants, at which point the 
creative energy of the week was at a high pitch. 

The several events of the workshop created 
new bonds of respect and understanding among the 
many different strata represented by its participants. 
Scholars from different countries and different 
disciplines developed new ways to work together in 
the future. Both natives and community people 
interacted with scholars (and watched them interact 
with each other), and gained a better understanding 
of how scholars think and how they approach their 
work. Native peoples began to realize that their own 
points of view were respected, both by scholars and 
by foreigners. Scholars and foreigners realized that 
the community within which they were temporary 
guests supported not only their presence but also 
the goals and means of their work. Natives from 
different, isolated communities saw that although 
each tradition was unique, the experience of main­

taining traditional heritage in the face of a dominant 
culture was the same. Finally, all saw the creative 
results of good field research — the lasting bond of 
respect between academic researcher and native 
informant, when each realizes that s/he has 
something of value to give the other. 

On the final day of the workshop, participants 
discussed plans for future activities to be sponsored 
by the Society and the Program. 

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