The Journey Home- Guiding Intangible Knowledge Production in the Analysis of Ancestral Human Remains (Final Report)

In the Journey Home project, the question was not whether ancestral remains should be repatriated from the University of British Columbia Lab of Archaeology to the Stó:lo Nation, but rather how to do things right, regardless of timeframe. For the Stó:lo, knowing as much as possible about these ancestors informs their process. How can scientific research address Stó:lo questions and aid this repatriation? What types of anthropological research and scientific analyses can be applied to answer community-based questions? What are the details and cultural implications of analyses — both destructive and non-destructive? Who decides which questions to ask and which means of research to implement? Who interprets the results? Who owns those data? How do ‘scientific’ and ‘cultural’ ways of knowing relate? Who is allowed to share in and benefit from this knowledge? These questions are central to the Stó:lo ’s relationship with both their ancestors and LOA. Ultimately, this IPinCH Community Initiative provides mutually acceptable guidelines for repatriation, addressing complex questions related to the production of knowledge, authority, control, and ongoing relationships with ancestors.