Tribal – Archaeological Cooperative Agreement A Holistic Cultural Resource Management Approach

Abstract

The conflict, almost a panic for some archaeologists, over who “owns” the past - scientists or tribes - does not need to exist. Both groups have equal validity (legal or otherwise) in being involved. With shared scientific technical and tribal cultural expertise, an equal partnership produces results not possible otherwise. Here is one example of a formalized 50/50 sharing of the research that expands scientific and cultural understanding in the Pacific Northwest of North America. In this case, the Squaxin Island Tribe and a College signed a formal cooperative agreement that helped set the stage for developing (1) a tribal cultural resource management office, (2) the first full-scale investigation of a site in this region (which contains a wet component), (3) outreach cultural resource Management training through online classes, and (4) public interpretation in a new tribal museum. Working together, equally respecting each other's needs, archaeologists and tribes can create the scientific/cultural results they both require.