Call Number: PC 221 (A.07-33)

Title: John Matthiasson fonds.

Dates: 1967-1975.

Extent: 395 slides

Biographical sketch: Dr. John Matthiasson was a professor of anthropology at the University of Manitoba. He received his B.A. in sociology and philosophy from the United College (University of Winnipeg), his M.A. in sociology and anthropology from Michigan State University; and his PhD in cultural anthropology. He had taught in many universities (Marquette University; University of Saskatchewan; Baden Baden University in Germany; and University of Manitoba). Dr. John Matthiasson retired from the University of Manitoba in 1997.

He was born on December 21, 1936 in Randoph, Wisconsin to Icelandic
parents. As a second generation of Icelandic Canadian, he was very active in
the Icelandic community. Part of his research was dedicated to Icelanders
adapting to their new homeland. He was an editor of the Icelandic Canadian newspaper and served on the board of New Iceland Heritage Museum.

Dr. John Matthiasson was an authority on ethnography of far-north cultures. He spent 13 months in 1963 and 1964 living and hunting with the Inuit people on Baffin Island. In his book: Living on the Land: Culture Change Among the Inuit of Baffin Island (1992) he recorded traditional Inuit society before its transition to the settlements. He also published many articles and dedicated much of his life to Canadian First Nations issues and their increasing difficulties facing modern Canadian society. As an anthropologist he had traveled in far away places (Iquazu Fall, Argentina; Tikal, Guatemala; Asuncion, Paraguay). Dr. John Matthiasson passed away on June 16, 2001.

Custodial history: The fonds was donated to the University of Manitoba by John Matthiasson's wife in 2007.

Scope and content: 395 slides form Dr. John Matthiasson's travels.

Restrictions: There are no restrictions on access or use.

Finding aid not available: