Behind the Archives Door series: Collecting the Northwest: Archives, Indians, Missionaries, and the Curation of Plateau Cultural Heritage, Tues., Feb. 3, 4 p.m., Second Floor Collins Library

Trevor J. Bond, Head of Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University

Missionaries to the inland Northwest created the earliest and most substantial archives of Plateau Indian culture. This illustrated presentation examines how collectors with varied motivations amassed American Indian cultural materials. Power and wealth influence who acquires collections and where collections reside often resulting in the geographical dispossession of cultural heritage.  However, recent work centered on digital repatriation may provide one method for connecting cultural heritage with their respective communities. Recent work at Washington State University including the development of a new content management system, Mukurtu, seeks to empower local communities to manage, share, and exchange their digital heritage in culturally relevant and ethically minded ways.