Digging in the dirt and telling stories……………
PROFILE
A French-Indian girl from the bayous of Louisiana who loves to dig in the dirt and climb trees. I have excavated, explored and taught on 6 continents including the last 13 years on Rapa Nui. Being the only woman to have cored these crater lakes, I also discovered an extreme climate event that caused the disappearance of the giant palm forests in 1456AD. Previous and simultaneously, I learned Archaeo-astronomy, earth and solar architecture from the ancient builders of the Desert SW, raised my son and was the Climbing Supervisor at REI. Moving to the PNW in 1996, my teachings continued in the form of design/build experiments in the middle of the city of Portland and taught thousands of students to create sustainable solutions. Adding to the diversity of this Registered Professional Archaeologist include: Underwater and Garbage Archaeology, Architect and Plant Medicine Woman, Mazama climber, Wilderness First Aid Responder, artist, classically trained musician, Rock n’ Roll Lighting Designer, Yoga teacher and soccer player. I am also a lover of wolves and nature that finds passion in teaching.
RESEARCH INTERESTS: Global Expeditions & Field Schools as community service projects; N. Am. Prehistory and the MoundBuilders; Ancient Desert SW Cultures & Archaeo-astronomy; Islands, volcanoes, crater lakes and peat bogs; The Amber Road – amber trade as medicine; Forest restoration and indigenous plant medicine; Underwater Archaeology – Ancient settlements and global warming; Animals and nature archetypes in human mythology; Tattooed mummies; Ancient 5Element Medicine theory in Mind-Body-Nature healing; Ancient Cultures, Adaptation & Innovation; Documentaries & Storytelling.
AREAS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELDWORK
Eastern United States ……………………….Poverty Point, MoundBuilders
Northern United States……………………………………Michigan, Lake Superior
Southwestern United States ………….Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado
Pacific Northwest United States…………………………….Oregon, Washington
Oceania ………………………………………………………………………Easter Island
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELDWORK
San Juan Island 2014-2016, Washington CRM projects while teaching Archaeological Field School and Cultural Ethnography.
Reports: St. Francis Church (2016) , Fish Creek (2015)
2014-current Ava Ranga Uka/Rano Kao, new discoveries and fieldwork in the Quebrada on Rapa Nui. Joining with the German Archaeological Institute March/April, a ceremonial site at Ahu Henua Nua Mea. At this site were uncovered intentional palm planting pits in a collapsed lava tube with waterfalls and pools previously unknown. 4 cores taken from Ava Ranga Uka stretching 8km from Rano Aroi to Opipiri which was analyzed for oxygen isotopes and pollen analysis. Looking for drought and rainfall patterns. Current work at Rano Kao included measuring the water depth which is 2 meters lower since 2008. Surveying old sites and documenting 300 new water basins is continuing.
2014 Treasures DeCoded: Easter Island Heads September 2014 BBC film. (USA release Secrets: Easter Island Smithsonian Channel.com)
2014 *Superviviente: The Story of Toromiro, Film documentary. Sophora toromiro, the last endemic tree on Rapa Nui. Film
2013 *Manavai de Bioversidad (film) Documenting the ecological diversity of Rano Kao. A film series by the Ministry of Forestry (CONAF) directed by Alejandro Tucki.
2013-2014 SW Desert Drought Panel Expedition, Documenting petroglyph and story collection, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah,
2008 RKE08 Expedition, Rano Kao coring expedition, Rapa Nui,
2005 KAO3 Expedition, Rano Kao, Rano Raraku and Rano Aroi coring expedition, Rapa Nui,
2002 Rapa Nui Earthwatch Expedition, Terevaka lithic mulch gardens, Rapa Nui,
1997-1998 Ma’ax Na Field School Bolsa Verde, Lamanai, Ma’ax Na, Belize, new survey and excavation, Leslie Shaw and Eleanor King, AFAR
1994-2004 Underwater archaeology of The Point, Historical Trading Post on Grand Island, Michigan. Lake Superior/Grand Island.
1990 Lake Peigneur, Mastodon & Browsers excavation, Louisiana, 1990 Oil rig drilling in lake pierces salt dome connected to mine, empties lake and discovers ancient browsers. Emergency Archaeology team.
EDUCATION
2011 Ph.D. Environmental Archaeology/Science Portland State University, Oregon Deforestation, Drought and Humans: New Discoveries of the Late Quaternary Paleoenvironment of Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
2001 Post-GRAD: Cultural Anthropology, Methods and Theory Portland State University
1993 M.S. Building Design/Solar Arizona State University, Tempe. Passive Solar and Thermal Mass in the Ancient Buildings of the Anasazi and Pueblo People
1986 B.Arch (5yr Prof degree)/Anthropology (dual degree) University of Louisiana, Lafayette.
Please see papers, presentations and downloadable academic information at