The Metlakatla first nation and archaeology: an Indigenous Community's Views in the course of 50 years of archaeological and related research in the Prince Rupert Harbour Region

Summary

This paper discusses the Metlakatla First Nation’s views and roles in the archaeological and related research that has occurred within their traditional territory over the past 50 years, the core of which is the Prince Rupert Harbour area. Unlike many other First Nations, Metlakatla has long embraced the opportunity to actively participate in the documentation of their ancient history, rather than merely being a subject of research. This view of archaeology has led to mutually beneficial relationships with researchers from academic archaeologists and CRM archaeologists to biological archaeologists and geneticists. All with the long view that the western world has difficulty accepting indigenous oral histories without corroborating evidence from the social sciences and science. More and more we are finding that these tools are confirming what the Metlakatla have known for millennia.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Tsimshian Archaeology: 50 Years of Research and 10,000 years of History

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16348