Native American Cultural Landscapes and Community Collaborations

Native American historic and cultural preservation initiatives have experienced a dramatic increase in recent years, especially within the context of Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) programs. In 2016 the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa THPO embarked upon a broad community based collaboration that is aimed at understanding the cultural landscape within their ancient homeland in northern Michigan known as Waganakising. This landscape includes a nineteenth century Methodist Mission Church and associated farmsteads, which are a focus of our current phase of the study. Collaborators include Native American and non-native historians, archaeologists, youth, architects, landowners, church members, and educators. The LTBB THPO invites you to share your landscape approach activities, especially those involving community collaborations, in an effort to understand and encourage the growth of this form of research design and interpretation.