New Directions of THPOs: The Perspective from One Tribe.

Summary

Tribe’s perspective and understanding of practice, place and context is as unique and diverse as Tribes themselves. The roles of Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs) are equally diverse between Tribes but all have one consistent thread – they, like states, are charged with the identification, recordation, and protection of cultural resources. Tribes are integral to the ‘Section 106’ process and are often required to reacquaint individuals with the state and federal laws and procedures that govern the protection of these limited resources. Beyond these legally defined roles THPOs are actively engaged with other cultural heritage concerns such as research design, management practices, and policy development. Since cultural resources often include materials, actions, and places associated with ongoing and active practices it is important to develop tools and mechanisms to insure their continued use. This may mean finding ways to maintain place anonymity, or evaluate potential impacts resulting from climatic change and shifting weather patterns. It also involves providing understanding and Tribal perspectives to future generations of professionals.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Community Matters: Active Involvement with Tribal Communities, the Many Roles of Tribal Heritage Management

Keywords

Spatial Coverage