Today was one of those 12hr days, but it wasn’t a grinding 12hrs. It was actually quite fun and interesting. My department, along with Emmet County, is collaborating on a 3 day historical lecture series about Emmet County. Tonight was the early stuff, like pre European early. And when you are dealing with that early history, you are relying on oral traditions. I use successful repatriations as examples of when museums take our tribe’s oral history seriously. How else is one going to repatriate remains that are 1,000yrs old? You go to the source, which is the people themselves.
With oral traditions, I’m not trying to convince anybody of anything, not trying to sell something. I see it as sharing, and this sharing is to help the ancestors, as well as the museum staff. I’ve gotten past the point of getting angry when somebody doesn’t believe our traditions. They are not for everybody to believe, I only ask people respect them and keep an open mind to them. If that is accomplished, usually good things ensue.
Tribal Repatriation Specialist 