Anthropology

The purpose of this thesis is to identify the names of the students who died while attending the Brandon Indian Residential School (BIRS) and determine the location of the school’s burial grounds along with the number of unmarked graves on the school property. My research project uses mixed methods including; archival research, qualitative interviews, Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR), Electromagnetic Ground Conductivity (EM38), control burns, and aerial photography to systematically survey the school’s burial grounds. My investigation into the deaths and burials of BIRS students aligns closely with a larger project being conducted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) Working Group on Missing Children and Unmarked Burials (n.d.). This Working Group attempts to locate the burial grounds for the Indian residential schools across Canada and identify the names of the students who died at the schools in the archives.
This research was conducted in collaboration with Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, the University of Manitoba, Brandon University, the United Church of Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and in consultation with the TRC, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch, and Brandon Research Centre. By using an applied anthropological approach my thesis works to contribute to the ongoing TRC’s Missing Children’s Project. It is my hope that this research can assist the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation with future restoration, protection and commemoration plans.
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/30396

Co-authors: Chelsea H. Meloche, Laure Spake and Katherine L. Nichols.
The introductory chapter situates the reader within the context of the volume. First, we review the history of the study and care of ancestral human remains worldwide. This will include an exploration of the effects that repatriation movements have had on anthropological research with Ancestors. Then, we trace the shift towards collaboration and community engagement, identifying central themes that will be discussed throughout the volume.
URL: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367809317-1

Working with and for Ancestors examines collaborative partnerships that have developed around the study and care of Indigenous ancestral human remains.

In the interest of reconciliation, museums and research institutions around the world have begun to actively seek input and direction from Indigenous descendants in establishing collections care and research policies. However, true collaboration is difficult, time-consuming, and sometimes awkward. By presenting examples of projects involving ancestral remains that are successfully engaged in collaboration, the book provides encouragement for scientists and descendant communities alike to have open and respectful discussions around the research and care of ancestral human remains. Key themes for discussion include new approaches to the care for ancestors; the development of culturally sensitive museum policies; the emergence of mutually beneficial research partnerships; and emerging issues such as those of intellectual property, digital data, and alternatives to destructive analyses. Critical discussions by leading scholars also identify the remaining challenges in the repatriation process and offer a means to continue moving forward.

This volume will appeal to a broad, interdisciplinary audience interested in collaborative research and management strategies that are aimed at developing mutually beneficial relationships between researchers and descendant communities. This includes students and researchers in archaeology, anthropology, museums studies, and Indigenous communities.

Chelsea H. Meloche, Laure Spake and Katherine L. Nichols (Eds.)
URL: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367809317

The history of conducting Western scientific research on Indigenous communities has destroyed relationships between Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous academics. Using personal research experience involving searches for unmarked graves at the Brandon Indian Residential School as a case example, this chapter explores the complicated and largely unspoken process of how to begin the conversations that create the opportunities to do meaningful research with a Dakota community. From this relational starting point, this chapter details the importance of ongoing consultation and collaborative research design grounded in the community’s interests, needs, objectives and concerns. In this way, we can begin the process of creating a strong relationship with an Indigenous community, capable of fostering respectful research and building alliances.
URL: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367809317-5

Co-authors: Katherine L. Nichols, Eldon Yellowhorn, Deanna Reader, Emily Holland, Dongya Yang, John Albanese, Darian Kennedy, Elton Taylor, and Hugo FV Cardoso
Book: Royally Wronged - The Royal Society of Canada’s Role in the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge and Going Forward
Editors: C Backhouse, C Milton, M Kovach, A Perry, and J Evans
Press: McGill-Queen’s University Press
URL: https://www.mqup.ca/royally-wronged-products-9780228009030.php

The history of conducting western scientific research on Aboriginal communities has destroyed relationships between Aboriginal communities and non-Aboriginal academics. Using personal research experience involving searches for unmarked graves at the Brandon Indian Residential School as a case example, this presentation explores the complicated and largely unspoken process of how to begin the conversations that create the opportunities to do meaningful research with a community. From this relational starting point, this presentation details the importance of ongoing consultation and collaborative research design grounded in the community’s interests, needs, objectives and concerns. In this way, we can begin the process of creating a strong relationship with an Aboriginal community, capable of fostering respectful research and building alliances. SPEAKER BIO Katherine Nichols is an anthropologist who obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandon University and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba. Katherine is currently a doctoral student at Simon Fraser University. Her research interests include forensic search methods, oral histories, and archival research