Preparation:
Gather all available information about the archaeological assessment or site and bring it to the First Nation community at the beginning of engagement. This way the First Nation community/communities can share knowledge and make decisions about its interests and level of involvement in the archaeological project.
After identifying the First Nation communities most likely to be interested your project, you should gather basic information about those communities, such as their cultural affiliations and some sense of both their history and their current realities (e.g., languages, governance, socioeconomic, etc).
The legacy of the historical relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in Canada have (and continue to do to this day) a significant effect on First Nation communities. Understanding this will help you to listen to the communities you engage and understand their needs. Some consultant archaeologists have extensive knowledge in this area. Others will develop a deeper understanding over time by working with First Nation communities.
Initiating and sustaining engagement
Collaboration, collaboration, and collaboration! By collaborating with First Nation communities archaeologists are able to ensure that First Nation groups are comfortable with the process of the archaeological project and able to participate.
Depending on whether or not the archaeologist has previous experience, it is good to provide the following:
- an orientation to archaeology in the land development process, a description of your role as an archaeologist in the project and an overview of the typical archaeological stages in a project;
- information about the planned archaeological project, such as facts you have gathered thus far; and,
- The kind of input (knowledge) or participation you are seeking from the community and how that may vary for each stage in the project.
As well as:
- Showing respect for traditional and seasonal events in the community.
- Discussing opportunities to involve local Aboriginal businesses and individuals in the archaeological assessment (e.g., as field crew members or monitors).
- Asking the community if they have identified areas of cultural or spiritual significance within their traditional territory (for example, through a cultural heritage values mapping exercise) and if they would be willing to share this information if it is relevant to the project
By listening to the community at the initial stage, you will begin to understand how archaeology is viewed and learn the role it plays within the community. This will also establish a basis for the development of the engagement process that is to follow.
Incorporating Input from the First Nation community
Gather information in the language of the First Nation community involved. Valuable cultural information encoded in language can be lost in translation to English or French.
Engaging with speakers of the community’s language, either directly or through a translator, may yield better insights into the archaeological site, its function, or the traditional uses of that area.
Adjust fieldwork processes or strategies, as in the following examples:
– work First Nation ceremonies into the fieldwork process;
- extend a Stage 2 survey to include lands that have been identified as of interest to the First Nation community, even though those lands may have low potential to contain cultural heritage resources;
– In response to sensitivities expressed by an First Nation community regarding the archaeological site, increase the area where the plough zone is to be excavated by hand rather than stripped by mechanical means;
– Work with First Nation monitors in the archaeological fieldwork.
- Include the concerns of First Nation communities in your recommendations to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture on the disposition of collections.
Reporting back to Aboriginal communities
All parties should agree to a clear and transparent process for reporting back to the First Nation community before, during, and after the archaeological fieldwork process. This is part of engagement and may go beyond mailing the archaeological project report to the community.
There is a long history of outside experts studying First Nation communities and not sharing the data with the communities involved. In the eyes of these communities, such data has frequently been used against their best interests. Given this regrettable history, your efforts to ensure that valuable information from an archaeological project is made accessible to the community for its future use would likely be appreciated. This will also contribute to building effective long-term relationships with that community.
Reporting on First Nation engagement to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture
The final report to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture must describe and give reasons for the following:
- Who was engaged;
- Engagement procedures (e.g., communication protocol, data sharing agreements between you and the community);
- Dates and Stages when engagement took place;
- Strategies to incorporate community input into the fieldwork (e.g., community report review, Aboriginal monitor); and
- Process for reporting results to the community (e.g., oral presentations, plain language documents).
Southwestern Ontario Community-Based & Consultation Archaeology Project 