The Role of Archaeology in Teaching the Native Past: Ideology or Pedagogy?

Résumé

Native culture and history as portrayed in some school curricula is a narrow, often stereotypic portrayal of events based on the research of non-Native anthropologists, museum professionals, and historians. Despite the useful role that archaeology can play in supplementing and validating historical information, archaeology receives little attention from Native educators. The reason for this disinterest lies in a mistrust of the motives and ethics of archaeological researchers whose irresponsible practises in times past have served to exploit and to alienate Native communities. New developments in the field of archaeological research policy may provide new opportunities for Natives and archaeologists to collaborate in the creation of culturally and pedagogically sound school programs in Native history and prehistory.