University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 2020 Manifestations: Displays of Internal Beliefs and Perspectives Manuel Ferreira Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Anthropology Commons, and the Museum Studies Commons Manifestations: Displays of Internal Beliefs and Perspectives __________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences University of Denver __________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts __________ by Manuel Ferreira June 2020 Advisor: Christina Kreps, Ph.D. ©Copyright by Manuel Ferreira 2020 All Rights Reserved Author: Manuel Ferreira Title: Manifestations: Displays of Internal Beliefs and Perspectives Advisor: Christina Kreps, Ph.D. Degree Date: June 2020 Abstract This thesis aims at better understanding and sharing the internal beliefs, influences, and insights of specific Field Museum staff in regard to exhibitions and the future of the Field Museum. It is people that make up museums and create exhibitions, and their beliefs not only influence and guide them, but also their institution and what they develop. Grounded in museum anthropology, and framed by new and critical museology, entanglement, contact zones, museum as method, and a queer mezclando (mixing) perspective, this research employs museum ethnography as a way of exploring relations and meanings among museum staff, beliefs, and manifestations. In the chapters to follow, I describe and share the internal beliefs of the Field Museum’s Anthropology and Exhibition Department staff on the future of the museum and the manifestations of these beliefs in exhibitions, as well as what this relationship may tell us about contemporary museum anthropology. ii Acknowledgements There are many I wish to thank for the support needed to navigate and complete this process. First, thank you to the staff and faculty of the Anthropology Department at the University of Denver. I would especially like to thank the members of my defense committee: Dr. Christina Kreps, Dr. Esteban Gómez, and Dr. Frédérique Chevillot. I would also like to acknowledge the staff at the Field Museum who graciously welcomed me into their place of work and shared their stories, support, experience, and time: J.P. Brown, Susan Golland, Jamie Kelly, Julia Kennedy, Tori Lee, Dr. Matt Matcuk, Christopher Philipp, Dr. Helen Robbins, Dr. Meranda Roberts, Emily Starck, Dr. John Terrell, Dr. Alaka Wali, Debra Yepa-Pappan, and all the people I interviewed and talked with, but kept anonymous. Lastly, I want to acknowledge my family and friends. If it were not for all of you and your boundless love and guidance I would not be who I am today, nor who will I become tomorrow. To my dads, Manuel Ferreira and Andrew Williams; to my siblings, Victoria Williams and Mason Williams; to my step-mom, Dawn Ferreira; to my abuelos Gloria Ferreira and Artemio Ferreira; to my tíos Christina Reyes and Condido Reyes; to my novio, Steven James Jackson Meyers; to my first mentor, Dawn Scher Thomae; to my friends, Amber Rust, Claudia Simmons, Delaney Olsen, Hannah Guo, Laura Hughes, Lucor Jordan, Madeline Rahme, Madison Dillard, Melissa Kocelko, Nick Dungey, Rosalie Avery, Ryan Aiello, Sarah Beals, Sarah Groh, Talaya Banks, Zac Presberg, and Zach Manning; to everyone, gracias por todo. iii Table of Contents CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER TWO: THE FOUNDING OF THE FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY ......................................................................................................................... 10 CHAPTER THREE: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................... 16 The Anthropology of Museums .................................................................................... 16 Representation and Museums ........................................................................................ 28 Decolonizing Museums ................................................................................................. 37 CHAPTER FOUR: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK .................................................... 39 New Museology and Critical Museology ...................................................................... 39 Entanglement ................................................................................................................. 41 Contact Zones ................................................................................................................ 44 Museum as Method ....................................................................................................... 46 Queer Mezclando Perspective ....................................................................................... 47 CHAPTER FIVE: RESEARCH DESIGN ........................................................................ 55 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 55 Site Selection ................................................................................................................. 56 Methodology and Qualitative Research Methods ......................................................... 57 Museum Anthropology ............................................................................................... 57 Timeline ..................................................................................................................... 58 Participant Observation ............................................................................................ 59 Interviews ................................................................................................................... 60 Exhibition Analysis .................................................................................................... 61 Field Notes ................................................................................................................. 63 CHAPTER SIX: SELF-DESCRIBED FUNCTIONS ...................................................... 65 Preservation ................................................................................................................... 66 Interpretation ................................................................................................................. 68 Presentation ................................................................................................................... 69 Community Engagement Coordinator .......................................................................... 75 CHAPTER SEVEN: FRAMEWORKS AT THE FIELD MUSEUM .............................. 76 iv CHAPTER EIGHT: INTERNAL BELIEFS AND MANIFESTATIONS AT THE FIELD MUSEUM ......................................................................................................................... 84 Researcher and Co-Curator ........................................................................................... 85 Manifestations of Communication Silos .................................................................... 92 Curator of North American Anthropology .................................................................... 95 Community Engagement Coordinator ........................................................................ 100 Manifestations of Colonization ................................................................................ 103 Manifestations of Decolonizing Perspectives .......................................................... 104 Repatriation Director ................................................................................................... 106 Manifestations of Erasure ....................................................................................... 108 Collections Assistant ................................................................................................... 109 Manifestations of Taking a Stance ........................................................................... 114 Head of Anthropology Collections ............................................................................. 115 Manifestations in Collections .................................................................................. 118 Regenstein Pacific Conservator .................................................................................. 122 Manifestations of Co-Curation and Co-Governance .............................................. 124 Manifestations through Ruatepupuke II .................................................................. 129 Exhibition Development Director ............................................................................... 132 Manifestations of Structural Change ....................................................................... 135 Exhibition Developer I ................................................................................................ 137 Exhibition Developer II ............................................................................................... 142 Manifestations of Staff Diversity and Representation ............................................. 149 CHAPTER NINE: MANIFESTATIONS IN THE FIELD MUSEUM’S EXHIBITIONS ......................................................................................................................................... 154 Phrase 1 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