In Conversation with the Ancestors: Indigenizing Archaeological Narratives at Acadia National Park, Maine
In North America, Indigenous pasts are publicly understood through narratives constructed by archaeologists who bring Western ideologies to bear on their inquiries. The resulting Eurocentric presentations of Indigenous pasts shape public perceptions of Indigenous peoples and influence Indigenous per...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Genealogy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/5/4/96 |
| _version_ | 1797504371978665984 |
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| author | Bonnie Newsom Natalie Dana Lolar Isaac St. John |
| author_facet | Bonnie Newsom Natalie Dana Lolar Isaac St. John |
| author_sort | Bonnie Newsom |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In North America, Indigenous pasts are publicly understood through narratives constructed by archaeologists who bring Western ideologies to bear on their inquiries. The resulting Eurocentric presentations of Indigenous pasts shape public perceptions of Indigenous peoples and influence Indigenous perceptions of self and of archaeology. In this paper we confront Eurocentric narratives of Indigenous pasts, specifically Wabanaki pasts, by centering an archaeological story on relationality between contemporary and past Indigenous peoples. We focus on legacy archaeological collections and eroding heritage sites in Acadia National Park, Maine. We present the “Red Paint People” myth as an example of how Indigenous pasts become distorted through archaeological narratives influenced by Western ideologies and offer a framework for indigenizing archaeological narratives constructed previously through Western lenses, using Indigenous language and community engagement to carry out the study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:03:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cd822d2e947c4ade9ed164950d986b71 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2313-5778 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:03:41Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Genealogy |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd822d2e947c4ade9ed164950d986b712023-11-23T08:29:08ZengMDPI AGGenealogy2313-57782021-11-01549610.3390/genealogy5040096In Conversation with the Ancestors: Indigenizing Archaeological Narratives at Acadia National Park, MaineBonnie Newsom0Natalie Dana Lolar1Isaac St. John2Department of Anthropology, University of Maine, 5773 South Stevens Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USADepartment of Anthropology, University of Maine, 5773 South Stevens Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USATribal Historic Preservation Office, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, 88 Bell Road, Littleton, ME 04730, USAIn North America, Indigenous pasts are publicly understood through narratives constructed by archaeologists who bring Western ideologies to bear on their inquiries. The resulting Eurocentric presentations of Indigenous pasts shape public perceptions of Indigenous peoples and influence Indigenous perceptions of self and of archaeology. In this paper we confront Eurocentric narratives of Indigenous pasts, specifically Wabanaki pasts, by centering an archaeological story on relationality between contemporary and past Indigenous peoples. We focus on legacy archaeological collections and eroding heritage sites in Acadia National Park, Maine. We present the “Red Paint People” myth as an example of how Indigenous pasts become distorted through archaeological narratives influenced by Western ideologies and offer a framework for indigenizing archaeological narratives constructed previously through Western lenses, using Indigenous language and community engagement to carry out the study.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/5/4/96Indigenous archaeologiescritical Indigenous studiesMaine archaeologyWabanaki |
| spellingShingle | Bonnie Newsom Natalie Dana Lolar Isaac St. John In Conversation with the Ancestors: Indigenizing Archaeological Narratives at Acadia National Park, Maine Genealogy Indigenous archaeologies critical Indigenous studies Maine archaeology Wabanaki |
| title | In Conversation with the Ancestors: Indigenizing Archaeological Narratives at Acadia National Park, Maine |
| title_full | In Conversation with the Ancestors: Indigenizing Archaeological Narratives at Acadia National Park, Maine |
| title_fullStr | In Conversation with the Ancestors: Indigenizing Archaeological Narratives at Acadia National Park, Maine |
| title_full_unstemmed | In Conversation with the Ancestors: Indigenizing Archaeological Narratives at Acadia National Park, Maine |
| title_short | In Conversation with the Ancestors: Indigenizing Archaeological Narratives at Acadia National Park, Maine |
| title_sort | in conversation with the ancestors indigenizing archaeological narratives at acadia national park maine |
| topic | Indigenous archaeologies critical Indigenous studies Maine archaeology Wabanaki |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/5/4/96 |
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