Indigenous Archaeology as Practice - Ep 35

On today’s episode Jessica hosts Dr. Kisha Supernant (Métis), Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Alberta. You may remember Dr. Supernant from Heritage Voices Episode 30 on Cultural Landscapes. Dr. Supernant talks about how the indigenous experience in Canada differs from that in the US, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We also talk about Métis identity and how it has been largely misunderstood. Finally, we talk about archaeology and identity, the real and complicated consequences of archaeology, and how to do archaeology right no matter the location and associated communities by working through an Archaeologies of the Heart approach.

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Planting Seeds for Transformation in Cultural Heritage Management - Ep 34

On today’s episode Jessica hosts Applied Archaeology International’s Bobby Bearheart (Ojibwa), Tess Lynston (lineage of Yampa and Bri Bri, Iszaac Webb (Wadandi), Genevieve Carey, and Dave Guilfoyle during their cultural exchange road trip across the US Southwest. We also talk about a previous cultural exchange trip in Australia. An interesting conversation looking at the similarities and differences between the US and Australia, including NAGPRA and repatriation, as well as how we can all work to improve cultural heritage management wherever we are located.

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Coast Salish Archaeology - Episode 33

On today’s episode Jessica hosts Karen Rose Thomas, who is finishing up her Masters at the University of British Columbia. We talk about being a First Nations field representative, her experience as an Indigenous student, and the colonial nature of anthropology. We also talk about her experiences on Simon Fraser University’s Aboriginal Reconciliation Council and as the Tsleil-Waututh representative on the Board of Directors for the Museum of Vancouver. We close out with a fun members only section where we talk about her work for the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, experimental archaeology, public anthropology, museums, and where she would like to go in the future.

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Photos of Karen and her family are all taken at Cates Park / Whey-ah-Wichen which is an ancient village site on the Burrard Inlet, but it is now a park. PDF includes pictures of the stone tools she refers to in the podcast episode.

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Anthropology of the US-Mexico Border - Ep 32

On today’s episode Jessica hosts Dr. Jason De León, professor of Anthropology and Chicana/o Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. De León talks about how he found himself at a cross roads with traditional archaeology and completely changed his career to better match his values. We discuss his work with the Undocumented Migration Project, conducting archaeological, ethnographic, and forensic anthropology methods to better understand the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as his Hostile Terrain exhibition. We talk about the complicated ethics involved, civil disobedience in the face of injustice, representation, and what we can all do in the face of this structural violence. A fascinating look into how to use anthropology to address current issues in a new way.

Reclaiming Indigenous Histories and the Indigenous Paleolithic - Ep31

On today’s episode Jessica hosts Dr. Paulette Steeves (Cree-Metis), Associate Professor at Algoma University. We especially focus on the Indigenous paleolithic and how Dr. Steeves is showing that it was very different than how it is presented by the field of archaeology. We also talk about the Bering Strait theory and why the academy is so resistant to that narrative being challenged. In the beginning of the episode Dr. Steeves walks us through her career, including some incidents that were not so flattering for the field, and finish our by talking about what it would take to decolonize the academy and anthropology.

"In early February 1999 I was standing on the corner outside of an old brick building which housed my favorite used bookstore in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The store, which was situated on the edge campus and the entrance to Main Street was a magical place of dreams and respite, where I went for brief sojourns from the real world. The store also contained glassed in shelves with a wonderful collection of nickel candies, from which I created magical brown paper sacks of joy and happiness for my three children. As I exited the book store my oldest son Jesse who was 21, ran up to me, and smiled an accepted his bag of candy. He looked me in the eyes and thanked me and hugged me then just out of the blue he said; “no matter what ever happens to me, don’t you ever give up on your education, promise me you will never give, you will keep going and finish you bachelors and go on to a higher degree, be a doctor, be a lawyer, keep going, promise me you will never give up”, so that day in early February I promised him, I would never give up. Just a week later he was gone, crossed over from this world, and my promise to my son to never give up was the last conversation we had. This story is dedicated to my oldest son Jesse Blue Steeves Dec1, 1977-Feb 18, 1999, I can tell him now that thanks to his love and foresight, I never gave up."

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