Tribal Monitoring Training

Kaibab National Forest hosted a Tribal Monitor Training this recent October which produced Tribal Monitors from the Hualapai, Hopi, Mescalero, Navajo, White Mountain Apache and Yavapai-Apache Nations. Assistance with the training was provided by the Hualapai Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Hopi Cultural Resource Department, Navajo Nation Historic and Heritage Preservation Department, the White Mountain Historic Preservation Office, and the State Historic Preservation Office.

These trainings bring together Tribal elders and youth to share cultural resource knowledge and expertise. Participants spent 40 hours learning from each other in both the classroom and field setting to collaborate on understanding and conducting archeological surveys.

Before any project that could potentially disrupt the ground on National Forests lands, such as road and infrastructure construction or forest thinning, an environmental analysis is performed to collect information on the impact of the project. Part of this process is survey where archeologists and technicians walk the project area to ensure the identification and protection of cultural resources.

Having Tribal members involved in field survey is beneficial as not all culturally important areas are obvious to formally trained archaeologists.  Tribal Members know these landscapes and possess traditional ecological knowledge. This indigenous expertise cannot be learned through institutional and professional study alone and is important toward the recognition and protection for areas and artifacts of cultural significance.

The Tribal Monitor Training provides an opportunity for participants to learn from the archaeologists to build skills and potentially explore a career in cultural resource management. While traditional knowledge is crucial to accurate interpretation, Native Americans are underrepresented in the field of archaeology. One goal of the training is to build capacity within the Tribes and provide a path towards employment. Growing professionals in the field of archaeology and land management allows Tribes to have a seat at the table for discussions involving decisions impacting their lands and cultural resources.