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An Introduction to the Difficult Relationship Between Indigenous Peoples and Museums / Julia Gray

This study path will introduce learners to the concept of decolonizing museum practices by exploring the complex relationships between Indigenous people and museums.

By Julia Gray, Independent Consultant, Riverside Museum Solutions

Abstract

Learners will be introduced to the concept of decolonizing museum practices. They will investigate resources that show the unique and challenging relationship that exists between Indigenous people and museums, especially in the settler-colonial states of the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Learning Objectives

Activity

Reflection/discussion prompt

Watch/listen to Decolonizing Archives and Museums: What Comes Next? [1]

In this presentation, Jennifer O’Neal, University Historian and Archivist at University of Oregon and Deana Dartt, Anne Ray Fellow at the School for Advanced Research, highlight some specific projects and Indigenous-led activist work happening to decolonize tribal and non-tribal archives and museums. The presenters review work completed in the ATALM Archive and Museum Summits on this topic, and suggest ways for moving forward to continue the work of decolonizing tribal archives and museums. This session was part of the ATALM annual conference held in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, on October 10-13, 2017. It offers the direct perspectives of Indigenous people working with and in museums and archives.

Assignment

Background Reading

Define some basic concepts that may be new to learners:

Discuss how digital projects and online collections databases play a role in Indigenous-museum relationships. Create a list of pros and cons.

Hands-on activities (select one or more that works for your learning environment)

Using the Plateau Peoples Web Portal [4] and a traditional online collections database of Indigenous cultural belongings, try to find the information (metadata) that is shared on the PPWP in the traditional catalog.

Based on what you learned from the video and readings, find one or more cultural belongings in a museum collection that are problematic from a decolonizing framework. Create a short presentation that describes why the presence of the cultural belonging in a museum collection could be problematic, and how you might go about resolving this.

If you are at a museum that exhibits Indigenous cultural belongings, select one or more pieces on exhibit, evaluate their labels in regards to a decolonizing practice. Rewrite the label(s) towards a more decolonized interpretation.

Find an online exhibit of Indigenous cultural belongings. Selected one or more sections of the exhibit (or the complete exhibit) and evaluate the interpretive text and other content for (1) evidence of collaboration, (2) Indigenous voice, and (3) truth-telling/difficult history.

Assessment

Here are some questions you can ask to get a better idea of where your museum is today, a starting point to begin decolonizing your museum practice:

Some ideas for moving forward:

Consider sources and resources:whenever you can, use Native authored sources, – publications, exhibits, tribal websites – this is a good first step while you work to build relationships.

In the longer term:

Resources

Case Studies

Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Mukurtu CMS [7]

Communities of practice

ATALM [8]

Sustainable Heritage Network [9]

Exemplary projects

Plateau Peoples Web Portal [4]

Sq’éwlets: A Stó:lō-Coast Salish Community in the Fraser River Valley [10]