Abstract

Archaeologists across Canada are dealing with the return and reburial of human remains and associated artifacts. During the repatriation process, archaeologists should work with communities to ensure that the needs of both the Aboriginal community and archaeologists are met. Working towards partnerships is not new and many examples now exist in Canada where archaeologists and Aboriginal people are working cooperatively on repatriation. Part of the success in Manitoba has been to negotiate with Aboriginal communities and meeting their needs by presenting technical information in community-friendly reports and displays. What is now required are strategies that will allow research on materials following reburial. This presentation will discuss approaches to documentation using some of the latest technology as well as standard recording methods. The goal is to be able to review the documented evidence in such a way that new data can be collected if required in the future. By developing strategies to effectively preserve archaeological data, future generations of archaeologists will continue to have the opportunity to research these items.