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Unformatted text preview: Collaboration: otchoeology ond inclioos The ture of the Study of the Past KENT G. LIGHTFOOT THE WEND is STARTENG T0 BLOW. A group
of Kashaya Porno elders and university students
button up their jackets and huddle under brightly
colored blankets on the spectacular Sonorna
County coast in northern California. The noise is
loud: the bowling Wind, tumultuous waves crash“ .. trig. below anthebasspf the. WC??? Q1.i.ff%...332€l§h¢. .. .. .. bellowing of the Steller and California sea lions
perched on the nearby offshore rocks all con-
tribute to the late afternoon concert. E can barely
hear our group’s lively conversation. Crouching
Closer, i listen intently as Violet @arrish Chappell
and Vivian Wilder recount Kashaya stories and
personal remembrances about the beauty, bounty,
and power of the Pacific Ocean. They emphasize
that by respecting the sea’s many moods and
creatures, it can offer you an entire pantry of
food and raw materials. This point is not lost on
usmour research team has been working at a
nearby archaeological site full of shellfish and
fish remains Where the Kashaya people have been
enjoying the generosity of the sea for many cen-
turies I
Our collaboration with members of the
Kashaya Pomo tribe is part of a growing trend in
archaeology. Across California and the rest of
North America an increasing number of archae—
ologists are working with Native peoples for legal,
ethical, and common-sense reasons. Known as
“indigenous archaeology” to some practitioners, i prefer to call this new development “collabora-
rive archaeology,” a new inclusiveness in the
practice of archaeology that incorporates people
from many different backgrounds, homelands,
and perspectives. i know some archaeologists will rankle at this
label, wonderingif it might be time to push for
my 'i'éiii'enieni {torn the field; They-Will tell you
that archaeology has always been a collaborative
effort. Well yes, we have a long history of work—
ing quite nicely with other white guys trained in
elite universities, but What I am talking about is
something fundamentallj different. Collaborative
archaeology does not just involve the participa~
tion of other white men and women in coopera-
tive projects, nor is it a field that will be com-
posed exclusively of indigenous people, but
rather it is a rrtiXture of all and then some. The
future of archaeology is the meeting of the
minds of diverse people from different walks of
life and cultural backgrounds who share a joint
interest in the archaeology of a particular place. The plurality of this kind of archaeology is
both its great strength and its formative chai»
lenge. Research teams may be composed of tra~
ditionally trained elders from the reservation,
tribal scholars educated at distant universities,
young Native people raised oil the reservations
in local cities and suburbs. and a hodgepodge of
non—Indian archaeologists and other specialists i_\'“w,.,
.t orchoeology ond lodions from both near and far. This bubbling cauldron
of people can he expected to entertain new ways
of doing archaeology, whether it is experiment—
ing with provocative theoretical approaches,
wielding innovative methods in the field and lab»
oratory, or contemplating unconventional per»
spectives of the past. Clearly, this is an exciting
time to be an archaeologist and to participate in
a quiet revolution taking place in the field. The foundation of collaborative archaeology
is partnering with tribes and other stakeholders
in the study of the past and present people of a
specific region or place. Most interactions today
tend to revolve around archaeologists and the
lndian ”monitors” who keep a wary eye on the
"archies” to keep them from disturhing burials
and Other sacred remains. But what I am talking
about is a coordinated program that integrates
tribal members in all aspects of archaeological
research. This involves participating in decisions
about the research questions that will he
addressed and the kinds of field and laboratory
methods that will be employed. It also involves
taking a critical part in the fieldwork, making
contributions to the interpretation of the results,
and assisting in the coordination of public out-
reach and education ioitiatives. A significant challenge remains to the develop—
ment of collaborative archaeological programs: no
clear road map exists for this kind of work. How
do you set up such a program and make
it work? How do you facilitate
the constructive interactions of
people who mayhold very difi‘erent
views about the nature of the past,
about archaeology, and even abOut the
cosmology of the world? What hap-
pens when divergent interpretations of
the past are proposed that may appear
to be mutually exclusive? Most of my experience in col-
lahorative archaeology stems
from working at the Fort Ross
State Historic Park with members
of the Kashaya Porno and
with archaeologists and
rangers from the California State
Parks. Here we are investigating the
colture history and cultural practices of the Kashaya Porno from ancient times to the
present, and considering the long-term implica
tions of their encounters with Russian merchants
and American ranchers. The learning curve of the Gringo Kid from
Santa Rosa has been long and slow; my education
continues every time 1 go into the field and work
with members of tribal communities. it was not
until i joined the faculty at UC Berkeley and initi—
ated a study of Russian colortialism in the North
Pacific that E began to work closely with lndian
people in the 19905. l have been blessed in work
log with several mentors who have provided guid-
ance and support over the years: David Fredrick-
son from Soooma State University, Breclt
Parkman from California State Parks, and Otis
Parrish from the Kashaya Porno tribe. My experience suggests that three significaot
factors should be taken into account when
archaeologists partner with tribes. First, collabo-
rative research needs to take place in a congenial
and comfortable setting where constructive diaA
logue can flow freely betWeen diverse partici-
pants. I have found that archaeological field
schools provide an excellent venue. A. staple in
teaching students the method and theory of
archaeology in university corricoloms, field WIM?E§ ”EBA iflnfi as orchoeology oocl lodlons pa w use-ass schools foster a learning environment that allows
everyone to participate and contribute to the
overall direction of the project. Furthermore, in
establishing a field school camp, the various
members of the research teanr atterrd'lectnres
together, participate in workshops, learn about
field and laboratory methods, dine together, cele-
brate feasts and other Observances, and spend
some down time relaxing and chatting. We are privileged to stay at the ‘Firchy Camp
in the Fort Ross State Historic Park. Here tribal
representatives can lead seminars on the culture
history of their geople, preseiitirig lndian per-
sgectives of the past based on oral traditions
handed down over many generations. The}? can
also teach about contemporary cultural practices 5: sltills. After being surrounded by piclty Berkeley
students for many years, it was a true delight to
work with cooks who had no word for “vege—
tarian” in their vocabulary. We enjoyed the tasti—
est of ribs, chops, and fried chicken, along with
the more traditional Kashaya fare of acorn mesh,
fried seaweed, fry bread, and succulent hackle
berry pies. The creation of abalone dishes was a
true collaborative effort: State ilarlc rangers
obtained the abalone from nearby waters, Violet
and Vivian fixed them in traditional Kashaya
fashion, and then I hfilyfié eat thern. Great food is a real catalyst in archaeological
programs. l could always tell when a special rneal
was in the works by the number of Kashaya rela~
tives coming to camp from the nearby Stewarts “Nothing deflates morale and saps lively dialogue quicker than mediocre meals. We hired two celebrated. Kashaya elders,
Violet Parrish Chappell and Vivian Wilder, as the field school chefs. l have never been better fed in my life” and beliefs of their tribes, thereby providing a
ltind of sensitivity trairn'rig for both norbln‘dians
and young Natives raised off the reservation.
The field school offers an ideal situation to
learn about archaeology. it is important to dis—
cuss With everyone What archaeology can and
can not tell you about the past. Like any other
scientific field it has its strengths and weaknesses.
in a field school setting, difiererit types of tech-
niques can be observed firsthand and then evalu-
ated by members of the research team for possi—
ble incorporation into the project. New ways of
viewing the past can he discussed and innovative
interpretations about archaeological remains
debated Within a truly collaborative framework.
Second, good food is a necessity in any archaew
ological project. Nothing deflates morale and
saps lively dialogue quicker than mediocre meals.
We hired two celebrated Kasbaya elders, Violet
Parrish Chappell and Vivian Wilder, as the field
school chefs. l have never been better fed in my
life. Trained at an early age to cool; for large
groups during feasts and ceremonies, Kashaya
women are accomplished artists in their culinary :- “an” anslelr fiAzirhfilfisfi Point Rancheria. As word spread along the North
Coast, archaeologists whom i had not seen or
spoken to in- marry years began showing up in
camp about dinnertime. Members of my owe
Lightfoot clan began making it a point to drop
by in the late afternoon to see how 1 was faring. i
don’t think there is anything better in facilitating
true collaboration than a good meal. Third, probably the most critical factor in
developing a successful collaborative archaeology
program is the formulation of a joint plan of
action (research design) that explicitly outlines
the objectives of the work and the strategies for
implementing it. it is best to produce this plan as
soon as possible. This written agreement should
outline the research questions guiding the proj-
ect, the field and laboratory strategies, and plans
for publications and public outreach, and it
should identify facilities for the curation of
archaeological materials, 1 have found that the
most useful research designs are structured into
multiple stages so that the findings of the first
stages of fieldwork are incorporated into the
later ones. This fiamework allows members of f“? .
a”? otcbooology ood lndions the research team to review the findings of each
stage, and their feedback can then guide the
design of subsequent stages. Our multistage
approach is structured to begin with the least
intrusive methods (such. as topographic mapping,
geophysical survey, and intensive surface coliec»
tion} anti then proceed to subsequent stages that
incorporate increasingly intrusive and destructive
techniques {subsurface test units and areal exca—
vation). More on this in the spring issue of News
from Native California. The research design should also clarify any
restrictions in archaeological methods clue to
their incompatibility with tribal cultural practices
and spiritual Observances. lior example, some
sacred places may be ofiulirnits to archaeological
work, and special protocols may be enacted when
human remains and specific kinds of sacred I observed the Kittie rule intimately when my
wife, Roberta jewett, experienced her monthly
period during one of our summer field schools.
Roberta oversees much of the archaeological
work, and her absence from the site was a signifi—
cant adversity for as. i quickly discovered while a
woman is in her Khela state and she can not pre~
pare food, cook, or wash in a communal kitchen
for fear of touching food and dishes used by
other people, it is up to her husband to prepare
her food and wash her dishes separately Furtherm
more, it became clear to me that some Kashaya
women evaluate the worthiness of a roan based
on his performance during this stressful period. i
started out okay. When i returned from a day in
the field, there was my little Roberta sitting apart
from everyone, waiting to be fed and taken care
of by her man. i managed to get her delectable This is an exciting time to be an archaeologist and to participate in a quiet revolution taking place in the field.” objects are unearthed. Collaborative research
teams may also opt to follow traditional cultural
rules and observations in working on archaeolog-
ical remains within tribal territories, something
we agreed to in partnering with the Kashaya
Porno. The most challenging cultural rule that
we follow concerns the observance of taboos sur-
rounding Khelaemthe time when a woman experi-
ences her menstrual period. Similar to many
other California Indian groups, the Kashava
Porno believe that a woman is unclean during her
Khela period and shouid refrain from preparing or
gathering food, from participating in ceremonial
activities, and from visiting archaeological sites,
since these places represent the abodes of ances—
tral Kashava people and are thus vested with spiri-
tual power. Consequently, a woman is forbidden
to participate in fieldwork or even to visit archae-
ological sites during her menstrual period. Since
most of our students are young women, a dramas
ic change from the earlier years of archaeology,
observing this rule proved rather formidable until
we worked out a rotation syStem that allowed
students to work at non—Kashaya Porno sites or to
participate in an off—site laboratory depending on
their time of the month. pork chops cut, pour her some cold orange juice,
and serve her an extra portion of acorn mush.
But instead of washing her dishes separately, I
forgot and took them into the communal kitchen
where they were washed with everything else.
When it was discovered what had happened, an
emergency lockdown situation transpired in
camp until her dishes were found and separated
from the others. Needless to say the Kashaya eld-
ers were not amused. The word on the North
Coast is that Lightfoot has a long way to go
before he makes the transformation into a real
man. More on the adventures of collaborative
archaeology in the next issue of News fiom Native
California. a Kent Lightfoot has been teaching in the anthropology
department at UC Berkeley since 198 7. He has partici-
pated in archaeological projects in the American
Southwest, New England, carom, Alaska, and
Hawaii. Eric Wilder is the tribal chairman of the Karl/raw
Band of Poms iodides at the Stewarts Point
Rancheria. ...
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- Spring '09
- WILKES
- Archaeology
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