Article Title:
Richard W. Stoffle, et al. “New Voices in Old Lands: Native American Museum Consultations in Arches, Canyonlands, and Hovenweep National Parks,” The Applied Anthropologist 40, no. 1 (Summer 2020): 23-35.
Summary:
(Abstract from the Author)
“In the United States, Native peoples are reconnecting with traditional lands, resources, and objects and influencing how these are interpreted in museums. The National Park Service (NPS) interprets Native resources and then educates millions of visitors through museums, brochures, outdoor displays, and ranger-guided tours. This paper is about three studies in Utah conducted by our research team for Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Hovenweep National Monument. The analysis is based on 696 interviews with representatives of 9 tribes/pueblos. As part of these interviews, there were 349 recommendations made to the NPS, most of which focused on the content of museums and outdoor displays. Discussed here are recommendations that potentially influence how the NPS understands and interprets the cultural resources of these tribes and pueblos.” [1]
(Summary)
Certain displays in parks are being reconsidered due to the inaccuracy of certain statements made within them. One such example exists in Canyonlands National Park in Utah, where one display states: “Even though American Indians had passed through the area, the cowboys were the first permanent settlers.” [2] This, however, is not accurate according to representatives from the local Native American tribes, as they claim that their ancestors have lived along the waterways and used the lands and mountains of the park since “time immemorial.” Native people who have occupied National Parks have a strong connection to the lands they have resided in for thousands of years, developing a Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of the resources and landscape.
Importance of the Article:
Cultural interpretation of Native Americans and their sacred lands and objects has largely been researched and interpreted by those outside of the communities that participated in this history. Through collaboration with the National Park Service and the input of indigenous representatives, many elements of past Native American life are taking on a new meaning.
- “New Voices in Old Lands,” 23.
- “New Voices in Old Lands,” 28.
Report by Greta Helfenstein