Hamilton, New York – In a unique alliance, Native American Indian teenagers and non-native university students and an anthropology professor will begin an archeological dig on Oneida Nation land on July 26. Native Americans very rarely allow non-native individuals to be involved in digs on their lands. Colgate professor Jordan Kerber, in leading this program over the last eight years, has developed a trust and respect between himself and the Oneida tribe.
Oneida teens participating in this two-week workshop will assist in the excavation of the site of a 16th century village. In past years, students have unearthed over 8,000 items including important shell beads used in recording treaties, European trade objects, musket balls, smoking pipes, pottery, and buttons from the hassocks of missionaries. Living in a speed-of-light society, the teens must adjust to the tedious process of panning through the earth to uncover small treasures and of analyzing the results in a lab setting.
The program puts students in touch with their heritage by literally placing in their hands objects used by members of their own clan centuries ago. Professor Kerber summarized the effect of the program on the participants. ‘Finding a piece of history makes this experience special. It is an immediate link to the past. You realize that you are the first to touch something in hundreds of years. Immediately you feel a connection to the last person who handled this piece. It is the legacy of that person that is in your hand. The Oneida students have an additional connection because it is their direct heritage.’
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