Community Matters: Active Involvement with Tribal Communities, the Many Roles of Tribal Heritage Management

Throughout the United States, individuals working in tribal historic preservation maintain a variety of roles, allowing them to undertake countless projects aimed toward preserving cultural resources for their tribe. A wide range of projects encourage active involvement from the tribal community whether it is through in-person interviews or tribal field schools and community input is crucial to understanding what tribes deem significant and necessary to preserve. Each project varies between tribes and is specific to the needs and wants of each tribal community. This forum will bring together those working in tribal historic preservation across the country to discuss the various roles they perform and the different projects their tribe finds important. Sharing these endeavors will demonstrate the broad spectrum of cultural values that exist between tribes so that tribal expectations and involvement in heritage management is better understood.