Tribal Historic Preservation

The Tribal Historic Preservation major is committed to training resourceful, skilled, multi-disciplinary preservationists and promoting the involvement of tribal people and governments in cultural resource management that respects and values indigenous ways of knowing, oral tradition and Native ideologies. The THP curriculum is grounded in a unique combination of Native American Studies, History, Anthropology, Natural Resources, Museum Studies and Native Language Studies. It emphasizes the ways in which indigenous groups, archaeologists and museums have successfully integrated Native philosophies and principles into preservation programs, including approaches to consultation, interpretation and representation, field techniques and archaeological methodologies. This course of study also examines the range of historic preservation programs that have fostered mutually beneficial and culturally appropriate collaborative research while empowering and contributing to Native communities and institution. Course work highlights Native American perspectives in history, anthropology, representation, ethics, state and federal law and policy as well as contemporary issues.

The Tribal Historic Preservation program incorporates the 4C’s (Cultural competency, Citizenship, Communication, Clear thinking) in both the Associate of Arts and the Bachelor of Arts degree programs. The tribal Historic Preservation curriculum emphasizes the following competencies:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, active listening skills, technical and professional writing and cultural appropriate communication abilities.
• Well-developed skills in locating, understanding and making use of written materials in historic preservation and cultural resource management.
• Well-developed skills in locating, understanding and making use of written materials in historic preservation and cultural resource management.
• Increasing awareness of one’s own cultural values, beliefs, norms, history and attitudes and how these contribute to a preservation ethic and worldview.
• Gaining an understanding of the cultural dimensions human diversity and specifically how and why an understanding and appreciation of the past can contribute to contemporary society.
• Developing the ability to navigate multiple cultural situations and to deal in an effective and professional manner in pursuing the goals of historic preservation in tribal and non-tribal settings.
• Increase knowledge of Salish and Kootenai cultures as well as the understanding other Native American societies and other cultural groups in the United States.