What do historians mean when they talk about entangled histories? How do objects communicate about multiple experiences (the complexity) of identity and place? The National Nordic Museum’s rusty can of Yakima Chief Dehydrated Potatoes helps us to do this memory work and explore the different ways cultures meet and converse with one another. Together we will trace the storylines, and specifically consider the relationship between the imagery of a Native American chief on the product’s label and similar figures on “kolonialvaror” product labels in Scandinavia.
About the series:
Co-presented with the University of Washington's Department of Scandinavian Studies, this latest iteration of our popular Scand30 series uses one object in the Museum's collection as a point of departure for the speaker's topic. These short, snappy talks are delivered by University of Washington faculty and reflect current research. A light reception will follow the presentation.
