Cultural Affiliation and Repatriation: A Spatial Analysis Project
Rylee LaLonde
My digital project proposed for this year explores how cultural affiliation operates under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) through an interactive mapping interface.
While repatriation is often understood as a straightforward process, in which cultural items are returned to a single Tribe, the reality of cultural affiliation is more complex. Under NAGPRA, an object maybe be culturally affiliated with multiple Tribes over time, based on overlapping lines of evidence, before final stewardship or repatriation decisions are made.
This project visualizes cultural affiliation at the county level to highlight how geography, historical presences, and evidence frameworks (tribal history, oral history, archaeological, expert opinion, etc. ) intersect in the affiliation process. By mapping these relationships, the project makes visible the layered and non-linear nature of cultural affiliation, emphasizing affiliation not as a singular facet, but as an aspect shaped by tribal history, oral, archaeological, and historical documented evidence (amongst other forms of evidence in the letter of the law). The map includes an interactive feature that visualizes cultural affiliation as a network rather than a point of origin. When a user clicks on a county where repatriation has occurred, curved connection lines (“affiliation arcs”) appear, linking that county to other counties or regions associated with tribal cultural affiliation.
This is designed as an educational digital resource that invites users (primarily students) to explore how affiliation is determined, how multiple tribal connections exist, and how NAGPRA’s frameworks are applied. The interactive map is supported by contextual explanations, legends, and source documentation to ensure ethical information collection and credibility. This project aims to develop a more nuanced understanding of NAGPRA, cultural affiliation, and the responsibilities involved in representing Indigenous histories in digital spaces.
Focus of the Project
“Affiliation Arcs”
The affiliation curves are a crucial aspect of the map. The curved lines represent documented or proposed cultural affiliation between counties or regions. These connections indicate the relationships supported by one or more forms of evidence. Multiple connections may appear for a single repatriation location, reflecting the layered and non-exclusive aspect of cultural affiliation.
Proposed Line Legend:
Solid Line: Multiple lines of supporting evidence
Dashed Line: Limited or interpretive evidence
Line Color: Type of evidence for affiliation
Mapping Methodology
The map works by employing GIS-based visuals to represent cultural affiliation, under NAGPRA, at the county level. The goal is rather to map affiliation as a singular point, but to model affiliation as a network to display spatial relationships. Counties where repatriation has occurred serve as the primary nodes, while curved geospatial connectors represent documented affiliations with other counties or regions.
The use of curved arcs emphasizes relationality– as a way to avoid the use of linear or hierarchical interpretations of affiliation. Interactive layer controls will enable users to filter connections by evidence type, temporal range, and degree of documentation (i.e., the number of forms of evidence collected to prove affiliation).
Looking Into Next Semester
I am very excited to get started on my project and see how it will all come together. While the goal of our project proposal is to help the fellows understand how to develop and produce a project idea, it becomes clear very fast that plans and proposed ideas shift as work progresses. I am interested in seeing how the project will take form digitally and learning about other ways in which it can be utilized.
Come back in the new year to see the final project(s) launched!
Recent Comments