VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF EXHIBITS IN COMMUNITY MUSEUMS (ONTARIO, CANADA)

Introduction

     The theoretical and practical aspects of museums have continuously been central to many archaeological debates due varying critical perspectives. From one perspective museums are seen as a legacy of colonisation through the role it has had in nation building, but from another perspective it’s been viewed as a place to commemorate and remember the past. Nonetheless, these debates have caused shifts that ultimately led to contemporary museum practices. One particular field of archaeology that is considered to be an extension of contemporary practices is community archaeology. Both internal and external forces have led to the integration of communities in the practice of archaeology eventually leading to the establishment of community museums.

Community Museums

     It has become more common for museums to take a community-based approach in giving light to heritage and local archaeological artifacts. This is particularly done by museums through their collaboration with people who are affiliated with specific material culture as well as consultation with members of the community from which archaeological collections come from or belong to. This has become one of the most significant developments in contemporary museum practices especially in a time where archaeology has become more speculative about its nature as a discipline (Peers and Brown 2003; Molyneaux 1997:185). These changes have led to the development of new standards by which it has been specified that active steps have to be taken in including members of the local community in archaeological assessments. Allowing communities to explore their own land and heritage is an optimal way to protect and preserve heritage since it fosters a sense of shared history, identity and cultural awareness (Saca 2016). Ultimately, this involvement has become more of a responsibility and less of a choice since it has become evident that local contributions allow for a richer and more diverse understanding of heritage.

     In Ontario, the community-based approach of museums is more often in direct correlation to the conservation, protection, and preservation of Aboriginal heritage. This is important since 80 per cent of all archaeological sites in Ontario are Aboriginal, including First Nation villages, longhouses, hunting camps, portage areas, burial grounds, and ossuaries (Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport 2015a). The governing authorities involved in community museums include, but are not limited to, non-profit corporations, councils of the municipality, public library boards, Indian Band Councils, and Conservation authorities (2015a). Having this ongoing engagement between museums and the community has been helpful for policy makers in understanding the needs of communities as well as their cultural and heritage priorities. On another note, community museums are often established as permanent exhibits as it allows the preservation of artifacts and conservation of heritage through consistent maintenance. Because of this, permanent exhibits require professional museum curators to act as facilitators who puts their disciplinary expertise at the service of community members in order to have their messages clearly and effectively disseminated (Peers and Brown 2003:163). As part of the strategy to have information properly disseminated, curators and staff members must consider how artifacts are represented and must do so in a meticulous way.  

Visual Representations – Exhibits

     One way that museums present artifacts, cultures, and heritage is through visual representations.  By definition, visual representations are known as any material or intellectual product that museums use to offer the public in order to communicate archaeological information (Ethics Guidelines 2006:4). This approach is one that cannot be taken lightly since it involves different ethical implications with guidelines stating that the information withheld by visual representations are required to be factually accurate and sensitive to community values (2006:11). Visual representations also involve political implications as Hooper-Greenhill has stated that “visual culture within the museum is a technology of power” (2002:162). This essentially means that visual representations can be used as an illusionary approach that is capable of manipulating how people interpret artifacts/objects, which ultimately affects the way identity, culture and heritage are perceived. This may be an issue since exploitation may cause uncertainties about whether visual representations act as a proper representation of how a specific group/community wanted to be remembered or if it is purposely directed to represent members of the modern society about what they believe about their past (Russell 2006:13). This is why it is important to actively seek knowledgeable members of the community before presenting archaeological material associated with them as well as to maintain a cohesive relationship between communities and archaeologists/scholars (Ethics Guidelines 2006:11).