Sowing the Seeds for a Relational Archaeology: Building Relationships in Queer Inuit Communities as a Settler Archaeologist

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Relationships form the foundation of every community archaeology project. By establishing relationships with communities whose cultural heritage is intertwined with the archaeological record, archaeologists not only ensure that their work is meaningful to all connected parties but also adhere to the ethical principles of accountability and public outreach outlined by the Society for American Archaeology. With the rise of heart-based practices, there has been an increased effort to analyze the effects that these relationships have on our research methods and our interpretations of the past. Yet, relationships between communities and researchers are often reflected upon after a project has finished rather than analyzed throughout the research process. In my work with the Queer Inuit Pasts and Futures Archaeology Project in Nunatsiavut (Canadian Arctic), I have found that the relationships I have built with my community partners are not just an essential precursor to our research, but are an on-going component of our attempts to build connections between contemporary queer Inuit and the material culture created by their ancestors. Therefore, I will argue that, in a relational archaeology, there is no “relationship building” phase but a continued analysis of the connections that are formed between participants, researchers, ancestors, and descendants.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39576.0