Dorothy Lippert

In this article, Dorothy Lippert, a Native American, covers the complex dynamic between Native Americans and museum collections, more specifically the archeologists that recover and archive the so called artifacts. This complex relationship between the artifacts, with the scientific importance and ability to educate, and the cultural importance of the artifacts to native peoples is one that is forever changing. Curators are in charge of putting together exhibits, but as Mrs. Lippert examines, the archaeologists that collect and find these artifacts have a unique relationship with these items. This relationship is unique because once archaeologists have control of an item, they decide what the item will be called, how they will classify the

She explains that during a meeting with Caddo gentlemen, they made the comment that “they were the first Caddos in a thousand years to see these objects” and explained that she felt that as a Native American, she had failed them (Lippert 2006). While she was fulfilling the legal need to consult them, she also address that this was a significant experience . She gives a personal experience in order to say, that while she is a Native, she has fallen short in her job as an archeologists. She wants her fellow coworkers to understand that while the profession needs to improve the relationship between both the native peoples they are working with, and the culturally important artifacts, they can do so by trying. An active effort is necessary to improve the strained relationship between the two

She provides enough personal experience, and critique of herself, to be able to question the others in the field without coming across as rude. She makes her point of the importance of cultural resources and the need for the better relations between archaeologists and the native peoples, in relation to artifacts. She makes the article easy to read, and covers many different point of views. She proves her thesis by providing personal examples of how she has failed other natives, while also providing other examples of shortfalls, such as the possible misuse of Devils Tower, and Zuni War gods sculptures . The article provides enough information to support her thesis, and while the main theme seems to be toward fellow colleagues, she makes the article interesting for the general