Finding a Grand Ronde Way: Building Epistemological Bridges through Collaborative Field Practice

Summary

In the language of self-determination, an indigenous archaeology is an expression of the sovereignty of a tribal nation to determine how its heritage will be cared for, now and into the future. Tribes, however, encounter several capacity-related challenges in developing tribally-specific heritage management plans. These challenges include the lack of funding for tribal historic preservation and repatriation, shortage of qualified staff, and, most significantly, operating within a heritage framework that was not designed with the needs or interests of tribes in mind. Given these significant challenges, how can an indigenous nation make archaeology work for and in accordance with tribal needs and values? Using the case study of Field Methods in Indigenous Archaeology, this paper evaluates how community-based research with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon contributes to a uniquely Grand Ronde way for doing archaeology. Preliminary outcomes from FMIA suggest that indigenizing archaeology not only transforms our discipline’s relationship with and to indigenous communities, but builds our--archaeologists' and tribes'--collective capacity to care for and protect tribal heritage for future generations.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 21180