The Role of Politics and Education in Indigenous Archaeology

In what ways do Native American groups take an active role in CRM issues? How many groups have Tribal Historic Preservation Offices?

Darby: About 50 tribes have been certified by the National Park Service to take over State Historic Preservation Office responsibilities within their reservations. Other tribes have similar capabilities, but do not feel the need to meet National Park Service requirements.

Julie: There is really a lot of variation among tribes, from what I’ve seen in the Northwest. At CTUIR, we have a fairly complete program, with MA archaeologists, tribal liaisons, tribal technicians, various specialists, and a NAGPRA Coordinator; we don’t have a cultural anthropologist and don’t have an expert in every area, but we have enough to handle most any project that comes our way. Other tribes are similarly staffed, while others might just have one archaeologist and a tribal manager. Almost all the tribes I’ve had contact with would like a full-fledged program of their own. Depending on the capability, a tribe might only be able to attend meetings and stay informed about proposed and ongoing projects, or they may actually get the proposed work and do it themselves. It’s really a mixed bag out there, dependent on how a tribe wants to approach cultural resource protection, its relationship with outside agencies and developers, and the nature of projects.

What do you think is the major impetus for Native American involvement in CRM?

Darby: Three things always come to mind from that first meeting with Jeff, which ring true every day. The places are important to the future of the tribe, they have a responsibility to protect these places, and the dominant society does not have a very good track record of protecting. That leaves little choice for a tribe but to get involved.

Julie: There are other aspects to this question as well. The places are important to tribes, and by getting involved in the work, it provides opportunities for tribal members to learn about their history and culture, it provides opportunities for elders to be involved, and it provides economic opportunity and career opportunities for tribal members, especially the younger generation just getting out of school.

Teaching can be a subversive activity or so Neil Postman says. What would you recommend beginning students in archaeology take (in terms of classes or experience) to prepare them for their careers? And in the long run, if you were going to recommend an academic archaeologist to be hired at a Native American contract firm, what would you look for?

Darby: The classes question is a tough one because students don’t have a lot of flexibility to take classes outside the required courses. I’d like to see the existing archaeology classes start teaching the students that there are various parties with legitimate interests in archaeological resources, and that archaeologists need to incorporate these interests into their methods, analysis, and interpretations. Archaeologists do not own the sites; the sites are not there for archaeologists to do with them as they like. Although it is hard to believe, the universities are still putting out archaeologists with these narrow attitudes. I’d recommend students take intercultural communication classes and try to gain as much experience in intercultural archaeological situations as possible.

Julie: In terms of hiring an archaeologist to work with a Native firm, the arrogant archaeologist need not apply. Characteristics needed include a tolerance for ambiguity, an openness to different ways of doing things, respect for other cultures, and a desire to use archaeology for something more than personal research. They should see the value in protecting sites, and have good communication skills.

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