Theories of Place and the Archaeology of Late 19th and Early 20th Century Experiences at Stewart Indian School

Jessica Hughston

Theories of Place and the Archaeology of Late 19th and Early 20th Century Experiences at Stewart Indian School

Year: 2017

Summary

This paper explores the usefulness of employing theories of place in illuminating the nuanced experiences of Native children in the late 19th and early 20th centuries at Stewart Indian School in Carson City, Nevada. Stewart Indian School was established in 1890 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs with the goal of stripping surrounding Washoe, Paiute, and Shoshone children of their tribal identity through the imposition of Euroamerican education and vocational training. During the last two centuries, despite colonial aims to eradicate Native culture, Stewart has transformed from a space of colonial domination to a place of Indigenous heritage. I argue that theories of place allow us to materially trace and heuristically present the complex and contradictory history at Stewart though concepts of phenomenology, dwelling and memory.

Cite this Record

Theories of Place and the Archaeology of Late 19th and Early 20th Century Experiences at Stewart Indian School. Jessica Hughston. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Fort Worth, TX. 2017 ( tDAR id: 435470)