A Sense of Where You Are: Water, Place and Community

The University of Minnesota lies in Dakota homeland, on one of the great rivers of the world, in a national park. Our responsibilities to this location call us to think about heritage and water in a manner that is fully inclusive. Two anthropologists who work for the federal government’s official historic preservation and management agency will offer their perspectives on community-engaged heritage. Dr. Joe Watkins, Chief Anthropologist for the National Park Service, and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, works to strengthen the engagement between Indigenous peoples and communities of color and the Park Service. Dr. Barbara Little, Program Manager for NPS’s Cultural Resources Office of Outreach, works on issues of public outreach and involvement, including the Park Service’s initiative with the GLBTQ community. Joining them as discussant will be Dr. Paul Shackel, Director, Center for Heritage Resource Studies, University of Maryland, College Park.