In a message dated 10/14/99 8:57:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> Sally Cavins wrote:
>
>  > Numerous anthropologist and Native Americans don't believe it
>  > appropriate for anthropology (ethnology, archaelogy, and/or physical
>  > anthropology) to be a subject matter presented in a natrural history
>  > museum.  Should it, or should it not?  What is your opinion and why?
>  >
I forgot who posted the quote from a Native American that said "Why are your
ancestors in the American HIstory museum and mine are in the Natural History
museum?"  It's entirely appropriate and I never thought of NA collections
that way.

I think that if we look at humans as a whole species and present that in a
natural history museum, that is entirely appropriate as we are a part of
natural history, as relative newcomers in evolution (ooops, can't use that
word any more ;).  I think the problem comes when we present native peoples
as "uncivilized" peoples and show them being studied and exhibited like apes
that people get offended.

But since a lot of museums established their Native American collections and
exhibits over 50 years ago, it seems like it would be a big mess to try and
shuffle things around to the right museum.  In the Smithsonian where
everything is apart of one big museum complex that's not that hard to do.
For smaller, local museums that have fewer collections, it's much harder
unless they can get something in return.  I do think it is possible to modify
those collections to include humans as a whole and not just "uncivilized"
peoples.

For example, an exhibit on stone age tools could be expanded to show how
those tools were modified over the centuries to the modern day tools we have
now.  Or something like a bow and arrow could be shown in its many forms
around the world along with modern bows and arrows to give a more balanced
approach.  Personally I would love to see an exhibit done of David
McCaullay's "Motel of the Mysteries" that is a wonderful spoof of an
excavation of a sleazy motel and contrast that with excavations of
pre-historic peoples.

Deb

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