Work and culture bring people together

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It's not easy being a police officer, and it's not easy being an archaeologist. You may not think the two groups have much in common, but a weekend workshop at Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) headquarters in Orillia showed otherwise.

From Oct. 24 to 26 members of the Ontario Archaeological Society, the OPP Museum and the OPP came together for Common Ground: Exploring Connections between Archaeology, Forensics, First Nations, Policing and Museology. Jeanne Tummon, curator of the OPP Museum, developed the theme.

Dr. Tracy Fuller, a forensic anthropologist and professor at University of Toronto, said, "Forensic anthropologists contribute to First Nations and archaeologists' repatriation of human remains."

Much of their work is painstaking, detailed, and routine. Both police and archaeologists work to reconstruct and protect the scene, collect evidence and solve cases, using the same tools and technology. The smallest detail has great importance. Archaeologists and police struggle with similar perceptions about their work. And everyone pays attention to the spectacular cases.

Both groups deal with legislation, some of which they would like to see changed. Under section 70 of the Ontario Cemeteries Act, for example, the owner of property must assume costs for investigating a gravesite.

"Archaeology is a study in behaviour," said Fred Bertucca, manager of OPP Forensic Identification Services, adding that both police and archeologists focus on "the bond that you develop with the community you are working in."

Speakers looked at how to build, as Glenn Trivett said, "relationships of trust."

Trivett, now head of the OPP's First Nations Program, joined the OPP after getting a degree in English and sociology.

His goal at this event was to further "a discussion of the respectful relationships between cultures." Recognizing that "justice, science and archaeology are contentious issues," he shared post-contact history from an Aboriginal perspective. From "hundreds of treaties signed and not one ever honoured" to the decades of control and restrictions following the 1870 Indian Act, he said, the result is "relationships of trust with Aboriginal communities take time."

He recently dealt with Huron human remains. "The law states to consult with the nearest Aboriginal community, but the nearest community was not Huron."

It is Trivett's preference (and he said his may not be a popular opinion) to "leave human remains alone. If it's impossible, you need to go and talk with the nation first to consult with them, about what's in it for them, scientifically, what helps them-the community-grow socially.

"Have discussions around divergent, conflicting opinions," said Glenn Trivett who teaches a five-day course on Aboriginal history and culture to OPP officers and anyone interested. Saturday morning in Orillia, he got events off to an early start by conducting a sunrise ceremony on the beach.

Mary Simpson, a consultant in Canadian heritage and culture, explored the connections between museums, First Nations and land claims. She noted First Nations' concerns with the "public exhibition of sacred objects" and discussed the "holistic view of First Nations" compared to the monetary values that Western culture places on things. "Anthropology and museology have re-thought their relationship to Aboriginal culture" and focus now on "a spirit of co-management," she said.

Simpson explained that items in museum collections might provide information that could be used to settle land claims. A wampum belt records alliances, events, or treaties and may be presented in court as evidence, in much the same way as a paper contract.

"It is possible to swear on a wampum belt instead of a Bible" in court now, she said. Simpson looked at how to meet the requirements of "prior occupancy or longstanding occupancy" and how in court "the admissibility of evidence according to common law restricts Aboriginal access." Far from there being no records of Aborignal history, she explained, "Objects can be read as ethno-historic texts" as they "reflected the belief patterns of the society.

"Buffalo robes were used to record significant events, " said Simpson. She believes there is a "need for greater access to collections, documentation and research methods," while ensuring "material culture evidence survives."

Looking at this "material culture evidence"-the artefacts-we learn about the people who created and used them.