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Decolonizing Collaborative Inquiry at the Absaroka Agency

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DECOLONIZING COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY AT THE ABSAROKA AGENCY A PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE 2011 COLLABORATIVE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVENTS OCCURRING AT THE SITE OF THE 2ND CROW AGENCY by Shane Michael Doyle A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Education MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY Bozeman, Montana April 2012 ©COPYRIGHT by Shane Michael Doyle 2012 All Rights Reserved ii APPROVAL of a dissertation submitted by Shane Michael Doyle This dissertation has been read by each member of the dissertation committee and has been found to be satisfactory regarding content, English usage, format, citation, bibliographic style, and consistency and is ready for submission to The Graduate School. Dr. Michael Brody Approved for the Department of Education Dr. Jayne Downey Approved for The Graduate School Dr. Carl A. Fox iii STATEMENT OF PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctoral degree at Montana State University, I agree that the Library shall make it available to borrowers under rules of the Library. I further agree that copying of this dissertation is allowable only for scholarly purposes, consistent with “fair use” as prescribed in the U.S. Copyright Law. Requests for extensive copying or reproduction of this dissertation should be referred to ProQuest Information and Learning, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106, to whom I have granted “the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute my dissertation in and from microform along with the non- exclusive right to reproduce and distribute my abstract in any format in whole or in part.” Shane Michael Doyle April, 2012 iv DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my wife Megkian and our three daughters, Florence, Ruby and Lilian. Special acknowledgements to my advisor, Dr. Michael Brody. v TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 A Phenomenological Exploration of the Archaeological Collaborations Occurring at the Absarokee Agency ...................................................... 1 Background of the Problem .................................................................................... 1 Context of Study ..................................................................................................... 3 Absaroka Agency History ..................................................................................... 10 Archaeology and Collaboration ............................................................................ 13 MDT, Project Archaeology, and Educational Collaboration .................................................................................... 15 OPI & Montana Historical Society’s Museums & Schools Collaboration ...................................................................... 16 Collaborative Events at the Agency ...................................................................... 18 Statement of the Problem ...................................................................................... 21 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................. 22 Research Questions ............................................................................................... 23 Importance of the Study ........................................................................................ 23 Scope of the Study ................................................................................................ 25 Definition of Key Terms .............................................................................................. 25 Decolonizing Collaborative Research Methodologies ....................................................................................... 25 Respectful Collaboration ...................................................................................... 26 Recognition ........................................................................................................... 27 Reciprocity ............................................................................................................ 27 Delimitations and Limitations............................................................................... 28 2. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .............................................................................. 29 Decolonizing Methodologies ....................................................................................... 29 Collaborative Inquiry ................................................................................................... 31 Collaborative Inquiry and Kaupapa Maori ................................................................... 35 Collaborating at the Trowel’s Edge ...................................................................... 37 Plains Indian Oral Tradition and the Process of Collaborative Archaeology ......................................................................... 39 Collaborative Indigenous Archaeology: On and Off the Reservation .......................................................................................... 42 3. RESEARCH METHODS ............................................................................................. 46 The Qualitative Paradigm – Transcendental Phenomenology ................................................................................... 46 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS-CONTINUED Qualitative Methods .............................................................................................. 46 The Researcher's Role ........................................................................................... 47 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................ 49 Subjectivity and Data Verification ........................................................................ 50 4. RESULTS ..................................................................................................................... 51 Participant Biographies ................................................................................................ 51 Archaeologist Participants .................................................................................... 51 Steve Aaberg – Lead Archaeologist ............................................................... 51 Victoria Bochniak – Archaeological Intern .................................................... 54 Educational Partners ............................................................................................. 55 Dr. Jeanne Moe – Director of Project Archaeology ....................................... 55 Crystal Alegria – Program Coordinator of Project Archaeology .................... 56 Penny Redli – Director of the Museum of the Beartooths .............................. 57 Crow Elder Participants ........................................................................................ 59 William Big Day – Director of Crow Tribal Historic Preservation Office ................................................................. 59 Howard Boggess – Historian and Crow Tribal Elder ..................................... 60 Rabbit Knows Gun – Artist............................................................................. 60 Archaeological, Educational, and Tribal Collaboration at the Excavation of the Absaroka Agency .................................................................. 62 3 Tipi Day ............................................................................................................. 63 Volunteer Day ....................................................................................................... 72 Crow Elders Day ................................................................................................... 75 The Archaeologists ............................................................................................... 82 Steve Aaberg, 11am Thursday, December 15. ............................................... 82 Dr. Jack Fisher, 11pm, Sunday, January 8. ..................................................... 87 Victoria Bochniak, October, 29, November 16, 27. ....................................... 90 The Educators ....................................................................................................... 92 Crystal Alegria, November 11, 22, 29 ............................................................ 92 Jeanne Moe, 3pm Wednesday, December 14. ................................................ 97 Penny Redli, 11am Thursday, November 17. ............................................... 100 The Tribal Voices ............................................................................................... 104 Howard Boggess, 11am Thursday, November 3. ......................................... 104 William Big Day, 2pm Friday, December 30. .............................................. 106 Rabbit Knows Gun, 5pm Wednesday, October 26 ....................................... 108 Data Table .................................................................................................................. 112 Deconstructing the Table ............................................................................................ 113 vii TABLE OF CONTENTS-CONTINUED Connecting the Interview Questions with the Data Table ............................................................................................. 113 Recognition of Tribal
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