One of the hallmarks of anthropology is that it provides an etic perspective on
other cultures. Such a perspective has its limitations and should be recognized
as being one of several valid viewpoints on other cultures. The emic
perspective is also valid. If we wish to know the truth concerning present or
past reality we must use several viewpoints in our APPROXIMATION of that
reality.
To try to limit researchers on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender, age,
religion or any other criteria is absurd. Yet on the other hand we need to
recognize the inherent biases which ALL researchers bring to their study. In an
ethnographic situation men and women will see different things, be told
different things, and be allowed by the culture to participate differently.
Similarly, ethnicity, race, etc. will affect the interpretation and observation
of data.
We should encourage members of the cultures we study to participate in any study
of them, for it is their heritage. Whether they choose to participate is
another matter. We should encourage African-Americans to participate in the
archaeology of African-American sites because it is their heritage being
affected. They may bring some special insight into the process, but will they
be able to provide a truly emic insight? I do not think so. My field research
among white farmers at Silcott, Washington, drove home to me how much culture
change has occurred since about 1920 in American society. While those farmers
and I shared a common heritage, they were living in horse and buggy days. In
many, many ways, we were separated culturally perhaps as much as Australians
and Americans are today. I may be overstating my case here, but the cultural
evolution experienced during the 20th century has been phenomenal. It is not
just technological evolution. If I can recognize this for 20th cen!
tury sites, what then do I share culturally with the occupants of early 19th
century sites? Culturally speaking, I probably share as much from the slaves'
cultures as I do with the planters' cultures. I have little or no direct
knowledge about being a planter or a slave. So why should we expect a modern
African-American to be any different?
For the past five years I have been working with the peoples of Micronesia in
ways they can preserve their own cultural heritage. This has involved fieldwork
in Yap (Federated States of Micronesia) and on Taroa Island (Republic of the
Marshall Islands), in which the staff of the State Historic Preservation Office
were trained in archaeological methods of survey and recording so that they did
not have to rely on outside researchers. I also worked with the HPO staff on
Pohnpei (FSM) in encoding earlier research into a database. Most recently, last
summer I team-taught a class sponsored by the National Park Service for the
SHPO's staffs of Micronesia on how to do oral history, photography, and
videorecording. I am committed to working with the Micronesians on developing
in-house expertise because I want to hear their story, from their perspective.
Only then can we begin to balance the outsiders' viewpoints with the insiders'
ones, and only then can we really understand these cu!
ltures.
Hence, as researchers we need to recognize that many different perspectives
exist. When doing our fieldwork we need to have sensitivity to the many voices
and include a diverse set of views, recognizing that no single viewpoint is
sufficient or accurate to portray the richness and fullness of a culture, past
or present. By including the people--whose heritage we are studying--in our
projects, everyone benefits.
William H. Adams
Adams & Associates
P.O. Box 1177
Philomath, OR 97370-1177 USA
503-929-3102 -3264 fax
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