Collections and Objections | McGill-Queen’s University Press (original) (raw)

A nuanced study of conflicts over possession of Aboriginal artifacts.

North America's museums are treasured for their collections of Aboriginal ethnographic and archaeological objects. Yet stories of how these artifacts were acquired often reveal unethical acts and troubling chains of possession, as well as unexpected instances of collaboration. For instance, archaeological excavation of Aboriginal graves was so prevalent in the late-eighteenth century that the government of Upper Canada legislated against it, although this did little to stop the practice. Many objects were collected by non-Native outsiders to preserve cultures perceived to be nearing extinction, while other objects were donated or sold by the same Native communities that later demanded their return. Some Native people collected for museums and even created their own.

Providing a comprehensive overview of anthropological collecting in Ontario between 1791 and 1914, Collections and Objections details the complicated relationships between Euro-Canadian and Native cultures, the numerous ways in which Aboriginal objects were acquired, and the motives behind their collection. The concluding chapter connects historical practices of collecting to present day debates over the stewardship of Aboriginal material culture in Canada and the United States.

A remarkable look at the relationships between the public, historical societies, governments, professional anthropologists, and various Native communities, Collections and Objectionst explores the legacy of interest in Aboriginal heritage.

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"Collections and Objections transcends geographic, scholarly, and temporal borders. Not only is it a study of Ontario, but it also touches on subjects pertinent to other cases across North America. Similarly it is not just a study of material culture, but also a narrative inspired by the complementary fields of history, archaeology, anthropology, and Aboriginal studies... It is sure to be a welcome addition to many researchers' bookshelves." H-Canada

"[Collections and Objections] banishes the notion that the history of archaeology is dry, dusty, and boring and has little relevance to the present. Archaeologists and Aboriginal people involved in the creation of an archaeological tradition in Ontario come to life on the pages...The book is incredibly well written and difficult to put down, a rare find in the scholarly literature about archaeology. It should be required reading for every archaeologist in Ontario and anyone interested in the historical development of the current relationship between Aboriginal peoples and archaeologists." Gary Warick, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canadian Journal of Archaeology

“Collections and Objections delves deeply into both primary and secondary sources to produce a book that is both comprehensive and a major contribution to current research and thinking on this important topic.” Jennifer S.H. Brown, FRSC, Canada Research Chair in Aboriginal Peoples and Histories, University of Winnipeg

Michelle A. Hamilton is assistant professor and director of public history at the University of Western Ontario.

Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
A Note on Terminology xiii
Abbreviations xv
Colour Plates following xvi
Maps xvii

Introduction
Museums, Collectors, and Aboriginal Peoples 3

1 “bric-a-brackers and pot-hunters” Professionals and the Public 20
2 “for the general good of science” Historical and Scientific Society Museums 51
3 Aboriginal Responses to Archaeology 79
4 Colonialism, Ethnographic Collecting, and Aboriginal Engagement 107
5 Usable Pasts Interpreting Aboriginal Material Culture 143

Conclusion 171
Notes 199
Bibliography 251
Index 295

Winner
Clio Award for the Ontario Region
Canadian Historical Association (2011)

Winner
Floyd S. Chalmers Award in Ontario History
The Champlain Society (2011)

Shortlisted
Speaker's Book Award
Legislative Assembly of Ontario (2012)