Abstract
It would be simply incorrect to deny that Indigenous communities have been placed in museums as features of the past within our collective memory. Exploring the ways that these spaces have shifted towards reconciliation and acknowledgement in the 21st century requires examination of the way that collective memory continues to be organized by colonial narratives engrained in the culture of museums. Prefacing a guide for museums to begin successfully fulfilling their objectives and missions requires voicing the truth - that for decades the missions of these institutions have gone blatantly unachieved in practice. This work functions through a case study of two major memory institutions in Michigan and a qualitative analysis of Indigenous perceptions of museum. Engaging in collaboration beyond consultation with Indigenous community and Tribal members means piecing together more holistically truthful histories and stories that are shared with the public. Museums willing to participate in this practice are more able to accurately fulfill their objectives and missions through the embodiment of historical relationships. A review of colonial narratives in our current collective memory provides the footpost for this work to be done. The meaning in the work being done in museums and memory institutions acts as a pillar for the consideration of Indigenous communities within public understanding. This paper looks at the multimodal approach taken in the United States at reconnecting Indigenous communities’ stories, with belongings and narratives in museums, which can be scaled out as a valid and feasible community engagement plan for non-tribal serving major institutions.
Presenters
Nevaeh RamonStudent, Arts, Cultural Management & Museum Studies (M.A.), Michigan State University, Michigan, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—The Future of Museum Narratives
KEYWORDS
Indigenous methodology, Community-engagement, Memory Studies
