We have moved several non Native American cemeteries and isolated graves away from road construction.

Barbara J Hickman, Staff Archeologist
Archeological Studies Program
Environmental Affairs Division, TxDOT
Telephone: 512.416.2637
Fax: 512.416.2643

>>> [log in to unmask] 07/20/2001 10:29:38 AM >>>
HISTARCHers:

Gaye Norton's query about historic graves reminded me of something I've
been meaning to ask the list for some time. (Sorry Gaye, this doesn't
answer your question!).

First some background. I occassionally am able to listen to little bits and
pieces of a radio talk show on National Public Radio (in the United States,
for the benefit of our European and Australian members), called "Native
American Calling." On a show about a month ago, the topic was the consent
of a tribal government to a developer to build a golf course. In the course
of getting the appropriate cultural resource compliance, Native American
graves were discovered. The show, I believe, was discussing the probability
that the tribal government was going to allow the graves to be moved in
order to allow the development to continue.

As can be imagined, most of the Native American callers were indignant. One
caller in particular hit a sore point for me, as an archeologist. She said
something to the effect of "They wouldn't put a golf course over Arlington
Cemetery, would they?" As usual, "they" was not defined, but her
implication was that the sanctity most Americans hold for the premier
cemetery dedicated to honoring the nation's soldiers was somehow comparable
to the sanctity most Native Americans hold for any Native American remains.

Now, as an American of European descent, I continually have to remind
myself that my perceptions of degree of significance (that is, Arlington
cemetery has greater sanctity than a small town church cemetery) is not the
same as for many Native American groups. We in the western part of the
country are continually reminded by Native Americans that everything is
sacred, and that there is no higher and lower degree of significance. (We
Euroamericans have a hierachical society; most Native American groups do
not, so hierachies may be harder for some of them to think about?). Its a
hard difference in value systems for the folks trying to make decisions
about what to save and what to mitigate or let go, and its very hard to get
around.

Now, for my question. How many of you know of examples of moving historic
Euroamerican cemeteries to make way for development? The underlying
implication by the caller was that Euroamericans would not do this to their
own cemeteries, only to Native American graves. I know that is not true,
but I don't have case studies. I am particularly interested in cases that
are not potters fields, but are cemeteries containing headstones and
Euroamerican people with living, known descendents.

Thanks for any enlightenment!


Cathy Spude
[log in to unmask] 

National Park Service
Santa Fe, New Mexico

As usual, the opinions expressed here may not be those of my employer.