D'ann Owens - Respecting Archaeological Sites

[Owens:] I appreciate the complexity and the power of the spiritual aspect and give that a great deal of respect.

[Interviewer:] How does that come out in your work, how would you accommodate those values?

[Owens:] That's one of the things that we try to address before we go somewhere by discussing with the First Nations and ideally with the spiritual people directly - what's the feeling of the site? Not necessarily about burials - but artifacts were owned by persons, this is someone's belongings. It is important for me as an archaeologist to recognize that if I find something, all I have done is found it. It's not mine, it's not mine to show off, it belongs to a person. It is a pretty phenomenal experience to know that you are holding something that someone made and used 3000 years ago. You have that connection with the person through that artifact. It's not yours, it's not yours to show off and be excited about, but it is still an amazing thing to think you're connected with them.

I find it important to have the spiritual people get a sense of the site. Most of the archaeology that's conducted in the province is related to development. So, usually if we are doing work it is because the site is going to be dug up by a machine. Getting the spiritual people to come to this site, to get a sense of what the feeling is on the site from a spiritual point of view, even if we aren't talking about burials, just the disturbance of the site - what does that mean? What are things that we should be aware of? Is there an opportunity to explain what is going on to the ancestors, to let them know what is going on there? Tell them what I am doing there. That can be really helpful for the archaeology and the First Nations I am working with. Having a plan in place for if human remains are found is essential. How do I protect myself, how do I protect my crew, how do I protect the ancestor to make sure they are treated in an appropriate way?

I understand that for the most part, the ancestors aren't trying to hurt us, but they are dead - they are in another spiritual world and the connection with that world can be dangerous to me. Not because they are dangerous but because that connection is dangerous. So, what is appropriate, is it appropriate to wear a scarf or to put tumulh on the face and talking with the spiritual people about that.