From Chop Suey to Chow Mein explores heritage adaptation in Western Montana’s nineteenth and twentieth century Chinese communities exhibited through archaeological culinary remnants and the evolution of regional Chinese restaurants. The lecture will also explore the shift from private heritage sites to public spaces shaped by anti-Chinese legislation and economic adaptation. Regionally, restaurants such as the Pekin Noodle Parlor became cultural anchors, preserving cultural identity amid decades of severe cultural exclusion and discrimination. Later establishments such as the Golden Pheasant and Ming’s Restaurant served as tangible memory spaces, bridging historic traditions with modern community life. By integrating archaeological evidence and historical narratives, this talk aims to demonstrate how adapted culinary practices offer insights into the cultural adaptation and heritage resilience in Montana.

About the speaker

Dr. Sophia Etier is an Applied Anthropologist and Public Historian who currently works at the University of Montana, where she earned her PhD in Anthropology with a concentration in cultural heritage studies. Her research specializes in the regional history of Western Montana, specifically highlighting the state's underrepresented and diasporic populations. To date, she has published several articles on the experiences and resulting heritage of western Chinese populations. She is also an active historic preservationist, currently serving on the Missoula Historic Preservation Commission and working as a research consultant for the City of Missoula Historic Preservation Office. Beyond her regional heritage projects, Etier also shares her passion for cultural resources as an active board member for the Montana Archaeological Society.