Category: Museum Anthropology Blog

With the support of a three-year grant from the John Templeton Foundation, the SAPIENS Public Scholars Training Fellowship program guides anthropologists on accessible writing and podcasting for broad nonacademic audiences. The purpose of this fellowship program is to provide in-depth training for anthropologists in the craft of science communication and public scholarship—to transform their research into stories that engage the public and spur readers and listeners to rethink themselves and their world.

Applications for the fellowship programwill be accepted each summer to select a yearly cohort of 10 fellows.Each year will present a particular theme, drawing primarily from the research areas around cultural evolution: the Wisdom of World Cultures (2022–2023), the Impacts of Technology (2023–2024), and Global Challenges, Cultural Opportunities (2024–2025).

Each fellow will be selected for the academic year (September 1–May 31) and be expected to: (1) enthusiastically participate in regular Zoom meetings and trainings with their cohort; (2) pitch, develop, and publish at least one article for SAPIENS; (3) pitch, develop, and publish at least one article for another popular magazine; and (4) contribute to one SAPIENS podcast episode in collaboration with our production partner, House of Pod.

As part of this program, fellows will attend an exclusive quarterly keynote lecture by four renowned science writers and editors: Carl Zimmer, The New York Times; Kate Wong, Scientific American; Samir Patel, Atlas Obscura; and Amanda Mascarelli, The Conversation.

We are especially interested in bringing historically marginalized voices—such as by race, ethnicity, gender identity, class, geography, or ability—to the center of public conversations.

Via Hyperallergic, June 7, 2022

Last year, Juneteenth — a commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved individuals in Texas on June 19, 1865, two years after slavery was legally abolished in the United States — officially became a federal holiday. Unsurprisingly, some corporations and institutions appropriated Juneteenth for commercial purposes, with one notably egregious attempt by Walmart to cash in on the holiday. And this week, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis apologized for an offensive menu item promoting an upcoming “Juneteenth Jamboree” scheduled for June 18.

In the comments section of the museum’s June 3 Facebook post about the event, one user shared a picture of a “Juneteenth Watermelon Salad” for sale in the museum’s food court.

More here.

Via The Art Newspaper, June 6, 2022

In a new twist in the ongoing saga of the Royal British Columbia Museum’s plan to spend C$789m ($626m) demolishing its longtime home in Victoria, British Columbia and erecting an entirely new building, a BC First Nation is urging the province to earmark part of the proposed budget for repatriating Indigenous artefacts and helping First Nations to build their own arts centres.

The Tseshaht First Nation, which has an array of cultural items in the museum including carvings and harpoon points, wrote an open lettersuggesting the change in approach to the BC government. It says it has yet to receive a reply.

In a CBC Radio programme last week, Tseshaht elected chief councillor Ken Watts said, “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t get up and speak on behalf of not just our people, but the people who made those items that they have in the museum, you know, ancestors who aren’t here anymore.”

More here.

Via Hyperallergic, June 4, 2022

The Harvard Crimson student newspaper says it has obtained a leaked draft report in which Harvard University acknowledges that it holds the remains of four likely enslaved people not previously accounted for, bringing the total human remains of possibly enslaved people in the school’s collections up to 19.

Previously, the university had only acknowledged the remains of 15 individuals of African descent who were likely enslaved. The recently discovered remains are of people from Brazil and the Caribbean. The draft report also says that Harvard still houses the remains of 7,000 Native Americans, which the university had previously admitted and whose “stewardship” it pledged to prioritize.

More here.

The Council for Museum Anthropology, a section of the American Anthropological Association (AAA), invites nominations (including self-nominations) for the position of Co-Editor of its journal, Museum Anthropology. The three-year term begins September 1, 2022. The deadline for nominations is July 1, 2022. We welcome applications from individuals willing to join the current editor to create an Editorial Team.

Museum Anthropology seeks to be a leading voice for scholarly research on the collection, interpretation, and representation of the material world. Through critical articles, provocative commentaries, and thoughtful reviews, this peer-reviewed journal aspires to cultivate vibrant dialogues that reflect the global and trans-disciplinary work of museums. Situated at the intersection of practice and theory, Museum Anthropology advances our knowledge of the ways in which material objects are intertwined with living histories of cultural display, economics, socio-politics, law, memory, ethics, colonialism, conservation, and public education.

The incoming CMA Co-Editor will contribute to the publication of a journal that enriches and diversifies scholarly and professional environments by: (1) setting a sustainable annual publication budget; (2) revitalizing the Journal’s Editorial Board; (3) actively contributing to strategies that will transition the journal to an open access format; (4) soliciting high-quality manuscript submissions and peer-reviews from a diversity of experts in relevant fields; and (5) constructively working with AAA Publications and Wiley staff. The Co-Editor will serve as a non-voting member of the Council for Museum Anthropology Board, providing annual reports to CMA’s members at its Business Meeting and participating in quarterly Board Meetings. Full responsibilities of the Editors are outlined in the CMA’s By-Laws: https://museumanthropology.org/about/cma-bylaws/

Nominations should include a CV and Letter of Interest that attest to a strong record of scholarship in the field of Museum Anthropology and excellent organizational, editorial and project management skills. Applications are welcome from individuals based in academic institutions, cultural institutions, NGOs, community organizations or independent scholars. The ability to assemble resources to assist with the production of the journal–such as assistants or interns, and/or support for the time commitment from a supervisor, Chair or Dean—is an asset.

The successful candidate will be selected by mid-July 2022 to provide an orientation and training period while the Fall/Winter issue is being prepared. The current editor, Hannah Turner (museumanthjournal@gmail.com), is available for questions from colleagues interested in the position.

Nominations, self-nominations, and inquiries should be sent to Cara Krmpotich, CMA President (cara.krmpotich@utoronto.ca). Members of the search committee include Cara Krmpotich, Bill Wood, Carrie Heitman, Catherine Nichols and Hannah Turner.

Come join the Native American Archives Section!

The Society of American Archivists (SAA) Native American Archives Section (NAAS) is seeking (self-)nominations for Vice Chair/Chair-Elect and three Steering Committee members. Anyone is welcome to apply, including students and early-career archivists. If you work with Native American archival materials, or are interested in learning more about the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials, this is a great way to get involved and influence the profession. Tribal & Indigenous archivists and archivists working with Native American materials are especially encouraged to apply.

• The Vice Chair/Chair-Electis a two-year term, serving the first year as Vice Chair and the second year as Chair. The Chair-Elect assists the Chair in conducting section business. In the absence of the Chair, the Chair-Elect assumes the duties of Chair. The Chair-Elect becomes the Chair of the section in the second year of the term. The Chair presides over section meetings, directs section activities, appoints liaisons, and submits a final annual section report to SAA Council following the end of their term as Chair. The outgoing Chair serves a third year on the Steering Committee as Immediate Past Chair and Chair of the Nominating Committee.
• A Steering Committee Member-at-Largeserves a two-year term, participates in Steering Committee meetings, and provides input, and general support to the Steering Committee. Sections members may volunteer for additional roles (e.g. Editor for the Case Study series, social media manager etc.) at the start of their term.

In the 2022-2023 year, the Section will be focusing on new ‘Indigenized’ training for stewarding archival collections; new archival repatriation initiatives; expanding our Protocols Case Study series, toolkit, and resources; and continuing to support the adoption of the Protocols for Native American Archival Materials. This is a great time to get involved especially if you are interested in Indigenous archival advocacy! Please feel free to contact any member of the Steering Committee with questions about the activities of the Section and the Steering Committee.

We welcome and encourage self-nominations. DEADLINE EXTENDED! Please send your self-nominations via this google form by May 30.

Please note that SAA membership is a requirement for section leadership. If you are interested in joining NAAS, but are unable to join SAA due to financial reasons, or have any other questions about this process, please contact NAAS Chair Diana Marsh at dmarsh@umd.edu.

The CMA recognizes innovative and influential contributions to the field of museum anthropology.

Distinguished Service Award (Deadline: 1 August 2022)

Michael M. Ames Award (Deadline: 1 August 2022)

CMA Book Award (Deadline: 1 August 2022)

Student Travel Awards (Deadline: 31 August 2022)

Find all the criteria and nomination process details here: https://museumanthropology.org/awards/nominations-and-applications/

Via The Santa Barbara Independent, May 12, 2022

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History turned over to the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians the partial remains of about 1,000 Chumash and pre-Chumash people who had lived throughout the South Coast over a time span of 13,000 years. In addition, UCSB turned over the human remains of 400 individuals and nearly 4,000 funerary objects. Most of these were unearthed when the UCSB campus was first being built in 1950 and date back as far as 4,000 years. 

This historic transfer was done in accordance with the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, a law requiring museums and institutions of higher learning to turn over such remains and artifacts to federally recognized Native American representatives upon request. That request was issued in late October 2021 by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. The last of the remains, as well as a large number of funerary artifacts, were transferred from the Museum of Natural History and UCSB to the Santa Ynez Band officials in late April. 

More here.

Council for Museum Anthropology Virtual Spring Symposium, The Future is Now: Emerging Perspectives in Museology and Museum Anthropology | March 25-26, 2022

Watch event recording here.

Over the course of two days, thirty people presented twenty-two papers ranging from designing, producing and preserving accessible touch objects, to exploring relationships between memory and work, to envisioning a Waialua Heritage Center. The conference supported 113 attendees on March 25 and 62 attendees on March 26 from fifteen countries including: Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States.

From the awards committee, chaired by CMA Board Member Laura Peers:

As prize-winners: It was difficult to select two clear prize-winners, but presentations by Amelia Smith and Inge Zwart were especially compelling:

Amelia Smith “Not Your Average Cistory: Why We Need a Transgender Museum Studies”: Smith’s presentation on a key emerging topic of transgender representation was lauded by one assessor as “a well-argued call for change in the museum field.”

Inge Zwart “Participation in Museums: Backstage Ideals and Frontstage Realities”: Zwart’s presentation gave a strong analysis of her case study on how the museum’s “backstage” transforms into a new front stage.

In addition to a cash award, prize-winners mentored through a publication opportunity on the Museum Anthropology blog.

The CMA Awards Committee assessors for the presentations also wish to recognize the following presentations as Highly Commended:

• Halena Kapuni-Reynolds “He Piko no ke Kaiāulu (A Navel for the Community): Remembering and Reconceptualizing a Keaukaha Cultural Center”: Kapuni-Reynolds presented rich ethnographic data, well contextualized, with a clear delineation of strong community engagement.
• Bradley Clements’s contribution to the panel, “The Memory is the Work, the Work is the Memory”: Clements’ detailed analysis linked material research with broad historical and cross-cultural issues of key importance today.
• Leonie Treier “Collecting, Altering, Displaying – Examining George Catlin’s Material Construction of Native American Culture”: Trier demonstrated especially strong material research methodology and the kinds of analysis that can be derived from it.

Via The Washington Post,

Added when the decades-old exhibit was updated in 2019, the archival letter is essential to the new interpretation of the galleries, according to lead curator Tukufu Zuberi.