Maintaining the Reliability of Aboriginal Oral Records and Their Material Manifestations: Implications for Archival Practice

• Main Author: McRanor, Shauna
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Association of Canadian Archivists 1997
• Subjects: Handle The; First Nations
• Online Access: http://archivaria.ca/index.php/archivaria/article/view/12176

It can be argued that the need for truthful memory is universal among human populations. But precisely what constitutes truth and how it is preserved varies across cultures and over time, and disparate perspectives and traditions do not always coexist harmoniously. Based on the notion that the apotheosis of material-based memory by Western laws and values has often led to a depreciation of aboriginal oral traditions, this article contends that understanding the process of oral tradition in its endemic juridical context is essential for archivists who handle the material manifestations of this activity. The argument begins by describing, on a very basic level, an example of an aboriginal method of orally creating, transmitting, and preserving records. This exercise helps to demonstrate that materiality is not the only difference between oral and written records; that is, even if oral accounts become affixed to various media, it cannot be assumed that Western requirements for reliability and authenticity are appropriate to assess their veracity. Consequently, the second part of the article proposes that, to maintain the essential qualities of materially manifested oral evidence of action, meaningful consultation between non-native archival institutions and individual First Nations should be undertaken, even if it results in the repatriation of certain items. Respect for the laws and values of aboriginal communities is critical to ensuring that their records are preserved in culturally appropriate ways. RÉSUMÉ Disons, pour fins de discussion, que le besoin d'une mémoire véridique est universel parmi les populations humaines. Toutefois, ce que représente la vérité et comment elle est préservée varie d'une époque à l'autre au sein des différentes cultures; qui plus est, perspectives et traditions différentes ne coexistent pas toujours de manière harmonieuse. Basé sur l'idée que l'apothéose de la mémoire consignée dans les lois et valeurs occidentales a souvent entraîné la dépréciation des traditions orales ...