Community Involvement in Ethnographic Conservation Practices: The Wave of the Future by Marian Kaminitz Over the past few years, conservators have begun to work with Native and local communities to determine conservation treatments for museum collections and public monuments. In the 1980's and 90's Native representatives were brought in as tribal consultants for exhibitions at the Arizona State Museum, American Museum of Natural History, museums in New Mexico, and at the National Museum of the American Indian, to name a few. This type of project planning has continued and is expanding in the new millennium to include more involvement with community representatives as curators and performers of conservation work. While this method of teamwork has promoted cultural issues of self-determination and first-person voice, it has also challenged ethnographic conservators to re-address their ethics and re-define themselves as professional conservators. Community involvement for ethnographic conservation is the way of the future; understanding our role as conservators in this situation is our professional obligation. I would like to talk about several case studies, then pose some questions, and hopefully draw some conclusions about moving into this arena. CASE STUDIES: In 1996, a Tuscarora beaded tablecloth was taken to Niagara, New York to be prepared for an NMAI exhibition by Tuscarora bead workers and NMAI's textile conservator. Also in 1996, several NMAI dance regalia objects were loaned to the Confederated Tribes of Siltez Indians of Oregon to commemorate a new dance house. Again, an NMAI conservator accompanied the pieces to Oregon and the tribe's dance master prepared the regalia to be danced. These projects were community events that brought Native people closer to the work of their ancestors and assisted in invigorating contemporary communities by communicating cultural continuity to present day tribal members. The most recent example of community involvement in determining conservation procedures at NMAI was a request by Anishinaabe (Ojibway) elders from Hollow Water First Nation, an area near Lake Winnipeg, to view several Midewiwin birch bark scrolls currently in the collection. According to tribal information, these scrolls were given to anthropologist, Irving Hallowell, in the 1930's by the Midewiwin priest, Morning Star. To prepare for the visit, NMAI conservators examined the rolled, inflexible and brittle scrolls to assess condition and to evaluate ways in which they could be unrolled for viewing by the elders. Tests were performed to determine the effects of steam, dry heat, water, ethanol and methanol vapors, on samples of old, inflexible birch bark. In consultation with Hollow Water First Nation, it was determined that the elders would prefer to come and see the scrolls unopened, to conduct ceremonies with the scrolls, and to talk to staff curators and conservators about the ramifications of possible treatments and storage conditions. The visit proved to be very enlightening for museum staff and the Native visitors. QUESTIONS: What is our role as conservation professionals? What do we have to learn from our collaborators and the process? What are the ramifications for the community and for the museum/community relationship? What is more important - preservation of material or continuance of culture? Who decides? Back to conference agenda