In the year British Columbia stood on the brink of falling to the Americans, a fur trader's map to BC's gold was published in San Francisco with a glaring omission. Pulling from explorers' narratives, fort journals, and over 7,000 kilometres of travel, Klassen weaves a narrative of ambassadors and alliances, fat fish and furs, and revenge and reconciliation on unexpected trails in long-forgotten Oregon Country. From these stories an alternate history emerges of Indigenous Peoples graciously hosting the first European traders, leading their fur brigades on ancient trading routes, and integrating them into their diverse and dynamic world-both economically and relationally.
A personal encounter with mazelike geography and untold history, The Mapmaker's Omission reveals what vanished in cataclysm when today's Pacific Northwest was charted. It also shows that real gold is mined when we dig down to, and challenge, our foundational beliefs.
If you've ever wondered about the genesis of the First Nations unceded land claims in BC or been curious about how a chunk of Canada got wedged between the states of Washington and Alaska, read this book. They are one and the same story.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Randy Klassen is a retired businessman, author, and aging ultrarunner. Having earned his Bachelor of Arts (International Relations) from the University of British Columbia in the 1980s, Randy happily argues that when we challenge our foundational beliefs about the past, we equip ourselves to better understand what shapes our present. His previous book, Perhaps Joy is the Reward, speaks to the power of discovering what we become when we pursue difficult journeys alongside others on earthen trails.