Artifacts on Air: Cultural Coherence, Collaboration, and Remote Access in Indigenous Archeological Collections

• Main Author: Meikle, Emily Myfanwy
• Other Authors: Krmpotich, Cara, Information Studies
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: Accessibility; Archaeology; Collaboration; First Nations radio; Ontario; Remote access; 0730; First Nations
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/75363

This thesis explores if and how radio can be used to promote remote access to Indigenous archaeological collections for descendant communities, with attention to how First Nations media techniques can inform museum interpretation. With increasing globalization, museums can now reach audiences who may never enter the museumâ s physical space. This is especially important for First Nations with a strong cultural interest in museum collections they are often unable to visit. How then, can we interpret Indigenous objects in a culturally coherent manner without a physical encounter? Within this, how can competing expert narratives be navigated through collaborative practice? This thesis acknowledges the insufficiencies of visual media for remotely interpreting Indigenous material heritage. Audio is proposed as a supplementary medium, which offers alternative interpretive benefits and is more broadly accessible. The radio format is also used to consider tensions between the presence and absence of objects and people. M.M.St.