Notification Is Not Consultation: Ethical Practices in Community and Indigenous Archaeology

Summary

In the quarter of a century since the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) was enacted, attempts to involve descendant Native communities in research on and interpretation of archaeological resources have been met with limited success. Blurred lines delineating ancestral lands and migration routes across modern state boundaries, historical political alliances, and dynamic cultural identities often cause confusion and a defeatist attitude in approaching and working with Native tribes and organizations. Current federal policy often seeks enforce consultation requirements, but disparate institutional priorities and goals often result in the burden being placed on the understaffed and underfunded Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs) that represent each tribe. Many tribes are now becoming more assertive about having a place at the table in the consultation process, but are still met with resistance, often due to poor planning wherein no portion of a project budget or timeline is allocated to consultation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Community Archaeology: New Partnerships and Projects between Federal, Academic and Non-Profit Organizations   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 166