Exploring the relationship between Indigenous peoples and archaeologists in Ontario: A dialectical mixed-model research inquiry

摘要

Archaeologists and Indigenous peoples in the Americas have been at odds with one another since the inception of their relationship. Historically, this relationship has been one of imbalance, indirectly created through an association characterized by those who study and those who are studied. As a result, through archaeological practice and theory, archaeologists have had a significant impact upon the lives of Indigenous peoples both past and present, and this has served to define the nature of relations between them. Indigenous peoples have rarely been asked about how the archaeological study of their ancestors and cultures impacts their communities, belief systems and ways of life. This research addresses this issue by seeking out an Indigenous voice and explores current relationships between archaeologists and Indigenous peoples in Ontario through an examination of the perspectives of both groups regarding archaeological practice and theory. Using a dialectical mixed-model research inquiry, a methodology that engages in distinct epistemological paradigms from both Indigenous and Western worldviews, this research stands as an example of how differing knowledge systems can work collectively in one study to produce valid and applicable results. The results of this research indicate that although archaeologists and Indigenous peoples in Ontario share some of the same perspectives regarding archaeological practice and theory, there still exists an imbalance shaping the current relationship between them. This relationship is heavily influenced by the differences in the paradigmatic structures of Indigenous knowledges and Western knowledges, as well as by the shared history of 500 years of contact between the two very diverse cultures of these people. Based upon the results of this research, a series of recommendations are made that seek to address this imbalance through the advancement of mutually beneficial archaeological research models that have relationship building and co-operative education as the foundation of their practice. Key words: Indigenous peoples and archaeologists, relationships, archaeology, dialectical mixed-model research inquiry, Indigenous knowledge, toponymy.