R. Grace Morgan authored the most important beaver dissertation of the last 40 years at a time when no one was caring much about the relationship between beavers and water, Now she has a book. And we all need to read it.

Book looks at cultural connection to bison, horses and beavers

A recently released book delves into the traditional importance of three well known animals; the beaver, the bison, and the horse.

The book, not surprisingly titled Beaver, Bison, Horse: The Traditional Knowledge and Ecology of the Northern Great Plains by the late R. Grace Morgan endeavours to be “the seminal, anthropological account of Indigenous peoples’ relationship with essential fauna of the Plains region in Canada and the US., according to the release from the University of Regina Press, with the book centering on “traditional knowledge and ecology from an age before colonial settler invasions.”

Every beaver advocate everywhere (and I mean you too) owes Grace a debt of gratitude and their first years allowance. They might not even know it. I didn’t come across it until an article about the pipeline protests. And beaver champions like Michael Pollock were stunned to read the abstract. Ben referred to it in his book so it is better known to all of us now.  Her dramatic writing about the cultural importance of beaver to drought ridden Blackfeet tribe gave researchers the motivation for studying the question in person. I am so glad to see this book  hitting the shelves.

The book “features deep analyses of beaver, bison and horse agriculture and habitat manipulation, which sustained Plains inhabitants for thousands of years,” noted the release. With the author passed Yorkton This Week was able to arrange an interview with Brian Morgan and Kim Morgan regarding the book, beginning with some insight into the woman behind the book.

Dr. R. Grace Morgan “was an anthropologist, archaeologist, and a scientist, deeply connected to the prairies and passionate about its ecological complexity and the sustainable practices that early Indigenous inhabitants had with the land and its animal occupants,” began Brian.

Grace passed away in February 2016 from Ovarian cancer after many years of determined resistance. Grace Morgan [née Hrytzak] was born in Rosthern, Saskatchewan and raised in the small town of Yellow Creek, where her father worked as a schoolteacher and principal, where cultural life revolved around the local Ukrainian community.

The world lost a great light and part of its soul when we lost Dr, Morgan, But I am so happy the book will keep her wisdom informing scholars for years to come

“Grace always felt that her work on ancient environmental practices would be relevant to contemporary problems of climate change, global warming, and drought, which was especially relevant environmental problems in Saskatchewan,” said Kim Morgam. “She deeply respected Indigenous stewardship of the natural habitat, recognizing that this environmental wisdom was not recognized nor taught in white settler schools and society in general.