About Amber 

I am a folklorist with experience producing and facilitating public programs, exhibits, websites and documentaries that explore cultural traditions and present them to the public. I have an M.A. in Folk Studies from Western Kentucky University, a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia and I am currently working on my Ph.D in Folklore at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. 

My interest in cultural documentation and cultural conservation grew out of my background in archaeology.  During my eight years as a contract archaeologist (1992-2000) I became interested in not just what people left behind but also peoples’ living traditions - their stories, their songs, their lifeways - and what these mean to them. 

Although based upon oral history work, the projects I do tend to draw together aspects of the physical landscape, past cultural traditions and current traditions to represent the fullest possible cross section of a cultural landscape.  My approach is grounded in an awareness of the politics of cultural representation and my work is often applied, facilitating community self representation.