I'd like to add a small note to the discussion on the Enola Gay exhibition.
The making of the atomic weapons used in WWII had a little known consequence
for the First Nations of northern Canada.  Much of the uranium used in these
bombs was apparently mined at Eldorado Mine on Great Bear Lake, NWT.
 
(Draw a line east from Alaska and north from about Montana)
 
I once saw a film with the charming title of "The Atomic Highway" in which
the mining and transport of ore was documented in the enthusiastic tones of
the 1940's.  Young Dene men were shown carrying sacks of ore from the mine
to the boat.  The sacks were obviously heavy, and were carried as they would
have carried sacks of flour - on their shoulders or in front, carried close
to the body.   The underground shots showed a lack of what we would expect
in the way of safety measures.
 
I investigated doing an exhibit on the health effects of this exposure on
the people of the nearby communities of Fort Franklin and Fort Norman, but
didn't get anywhere with it.
 
In the discussions of  "who owns history", it is surprising how many
disparate voices one can find.  Are there 'situated' voices, or is it
becoming a choir?
 
 
 
 
 
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Barbara J. Winter                                            tel: (604) 291-3325
Department of Archaeology                              fax: (604) 291-5666
Simon Fraser University                                   email:  [log in to unmask]
Canada  V5A 1S6
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