Indigenous Heritage Sovereignty: Musqeaum Archaeology
part of a series on First Nations' research units
Musqueam has a long history of engagement with archaeologists. One of the first was Charles Borden, a German Classicist and amateur archaeologist at UBC, who participated in the professionalization of archaeology in BC over the middle of the twentieth century. UBC’s Department of Anthropology, in conjunction with the Laboratory of Archaeology and the Museum of Anthropology, has subsequently had a series of partnerships involving courses, museum exhibits, research, and fieldschools. As a faculty member at UBC for many years I have had the opportunity to meet and work alongside of colleagues from Musqueam and other First Nations as these partnerships grew. Disclosure: My own Indigenous work has focussed in Gitxaała and the wider Tsimshian world on BC’s north coast. I have no direct work with or for Musqueam Indian Band.
This story focusses on one small part of Musqueeam’s own work at ensuring authority and jurisdiction over their unceded lands and water. This is one in a series of stories about local First Nations and how they are making a difference in the lowermainland.
Musqueam Archaeology
Musqueam, like many First Nations today, has a group of community members with long histories of archaeological experience and expertise. Most of the archaeologists in the unit are Musqueam members, though there are settler folk working for the nation as well. Through my involvement in anthropology and archaeology at UBC I had the pleasure of meeting the late Wayne Point (1959-2017) a Musqueam archaeologist. Wayne “worked for UBC Museum of Anthropology and for the Musqueam Band bringing important insights to his history and his community. He made multiple significant finds and changed public perception of his peoples’ heritage.”
Musqueam Indian Band’s archaeology unit (part of their Title and Rights department) overviews rights and title concerns in projects like the Acadia Meadows ecological project. The unit also takes on consulting projects where relevant. As Dave Schaepe, with Sto:lo Resources notes, consulting projects can be a source revenue for a Nation. Such work provides funds for other operations of culture heritage research that may not themselves be fully funded.
According to Metro Vancouver Parks’ biologist Musqueam archaeologists managed the archaeological work prior to building the snake hibernaculum at the Acadia Meadows ecological enhancement project.
The snake hibernaculum required extensive excavation. Given Acadia Meadows sits atop a former Musqueam village, conducting an archaeological review of the site first was critically important. Ground penetrating radar (GPR -supported through a partnership with UBC) was used to do a pre-excavation review of the site. At the same time several shovel tests (literally what it sounds like, dig a small hole with a shovel) were conducted to identify potential cultural soils. When the excavator arrived Musqueam’s crew observed and monitored to ensure no disruption of cultural material would occur.
UBC has been funding cooperative research partnerships between UBC archaeologists like Andrew Martindale for several years now. In 2007 the partnership received a $70,000 grant from UBC’s teaching and learning enhancement fund for ground penetrating radar. In 2017 the partners received a $100,000 grant for an Indigenous Science partnership grant. In 2021 a further $50,000 was granted to upgrade the GPR equipment. In 2022 Musqueam received a $46,000 grant from the Time Immemorial Fund to support a GPR course.
In the past archaeologists came from outside Indigenous communities. They were governed by their own external settler research programs and personal interests. Some of these outside archaeologists developed good relations with First Nations’ communities, but too frequently outsiders ignored Indigenous concerns and sentiments. Today First Nations like Musqueam and Sto:lo are reclaiming archaeology as their own by setting the agenda and directing their own archaeology projects.