Beyond tokenism : aboriginal involvement in archaeological resource management in British Columbia

• Main Author: De Paoli, Maria Luisa
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Salvage archaeology > British Columbia; Indians of North America > British Columbia > Antiquities > Collection and preservation; Stalo Indians > Case studies
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/9277

This thesis provides an analysis of aboriginal involvement in archaeological resource management in British Columbia and explores the potential of co-operative arrangements for the development of a more inclusive management regime. The objectives of the thesis are (i) to investigate the role of First Nations in the development of archaeology and archaeological resource management, (ii) to compare aboriginal community-based heritage management initiatives in B.C. with those operating within the Yukon and Northwest Territories and the U.S., (iii) to develop an aboriginal involvement framework to analyze aboriginal participation in archaeological resource management in B.C., and (iv) to assess the opportunities and constraints to increased aboriginal involvement in archaeological resource management in B.C. Preliminary chapters outline the historical, legislative, and theoretical contexts for this study. Relevant literature is reviewed to provide a discussion of the development of archaeology and its effects on aboriginal people. The creation of a management ethic for archaeology is presented together with the nature of aboriginal participation in the management process. Secondly, literature pertaining to aboriginal involvement in resource management is surveyed to provide a context for analyzing aboriginal participation in archaeological resource management. From this review an aboriginal involvement framework is developed. Based on the themes discussed in preceding chapters and the proposed framework, six key concepts of aboriginal involvement in archaeological resource management are identified to provide structure for an analysis of aboriginal involvement in archaeological resource management in B.C. Next, in case study format, the Sto:lo Nation's approach to heritage management is analyzed using the key concepts distilled from the framework. The Sto:lo Nation's experience with managing archaeology is followed by a discussion of the provincial approach to archaeological resource management. The contrasting nature of both the Sto:lo Nation's and the Province's approaches to archaeological resource management is discussed and the difficulties inherent in developing a more inclusive management regime are highlighted. Finally, a set of opportunities and constraints to the development of a co-operative approach to archaeological resource management is outlined. This set is derived both from the events and literature discussed in the previous chapters as well as the results of the case study investigation. A pilot project for the co-operative management of archaeological resources is suggested and the benefits of such an approach are discussed. The thesis closes with the presentation of conditions to facilitate the development of co-operative management of archaeological resources in B.C.