Dr. Ernie Walker (PhD)
Professor Emeritus
Anthropology, College of Arts and Science
Dr. Ernie Walker holds a BEd, BA, BA [Hons] and MA from our University and went on to complete a PhD at the University of Texas in Austin. He joined the USask Department of Anthropology, where his major research interests have focused on human osteology and skeletal biology, including paleopathology and forensic anthropology. Forensic identification of human remains for law enforcement agencies is a specialty of Dr. Walkers. He studies, as well, American precontact archaeology, specializing in the Great Plains and American Southwest regions including geoarchaeology and paleoenvironmental studies. Ernie is also an outstanding teacher and recipient of a 3M Teaching Fellowship.
Some years ago, Ernie worked for Mike Vitkowski, a rancher whose family had owned the land, now known as Wanuskewin Heritage Park (WHP), since 1934. Ernie began finding ancient artifacts left by Great Plains First Nations communities who gathered on that land centuries ago. When Mr. Vitkowski retired in 1980, he wanted to sell the land to someone who would take care of it. From then on, Ernie lobbied Saskatoon City Council to save the precious land. He spearheaded a massive fundraising campaign and in 1982, excavations began to establish the area, first as a Provincial Heritage Site in 1984, a National Historic Site in 1986, and the opening of a heritage park and interpretive centre in 1992. During all this time, Ernie worked in close collaboration with the province's First Nations communities to preserve their archaeological treasures. Ernie’s invaluable work has been recognized with the Saskatchewan Order of Merit and the Order of Canada. He retired as Anthropology Professor Emeritus and continues to research the paleopathology of Northern Plains burials and the archaeology of Wanuskewin Heritage Park and Big Muddy. He is working diligently to put WHP on the map as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Thank you, Ernie, for bringing us Wanuskewin, named from the Cree language “seeking peace of mind.”
Some years ago, Ernie worked for Mike Vitkowski, a rancher whose family had owned the land, now known as Wanuskewin Heritage Park (WHP), since 1934. Ernie began finding ancient artifacts left by Great Plains First Nations communities who gathered on that land centuries ago. When Mr. Vitkowski retired in 1980, he wanted to sell the land to someone who would take care of it. From then on, Ernie lobbied Saskatoon City Council to save the precious land. He spearheaded a massive fundraising campaign and in 1982, excavations began to establish the area, first as a Provincial Heritage Site in 1984, a National Historic Site in 1986, and the opening of a heritage park and interpretive centre in 1992. During all this time, Ernie worked in close collaboration with the province's First Nations communities to preserve their archaeological treasures. Ernie’s invaluable work has been recognized with the Saskatchewan Order of Merit and the Order of Canada. He retired as Anthropology Professor Emeritus and continues to research the paleopathology of Northern Plains burials and the archaeology of Wanuskewin Heritage Park and Big Muddy. He is working diligently to put WHP on the map as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Thank you, Ernie, for bringing us Wanuskewin, named from the Cree language “seeking peace of mind.”