In this episode, Emma and Natalya talk with Francis Lukezic, Objects Conservator at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory about her involvement in the Nunalleq Archaeological Excavation, a pre-contact Yup’ik site in Southwest Alaska. In this episode we talk about how challenging it is to take care of collections, whether in remote areas like southwest Alaska or in Maryland; the many benefits of collaborative projects; and how cultural heritage workers can help empower indigenous peoples to feel comfortable caring for their collection autonomously.
Resources:
Nunalleq 2019 blog: An archaeological adventure by the Bering Sea
Nunalleq: Stories from the Village of Our Ancestors. A free interactive educational resource 
Children of the Dig. A film by Joshua Albeza Branstetter (Branstetter Film)
Hillerdal, Charlotta, Rick Knecht, and Warren Jones. 2019. “Nunalleq: Archaeology, Climate Change, and Community Engagement in a Yup'ik Village.” Arctic Anthro. 56:4-17. DOI: 10.3368/aa.56.1.4
Mossolova, Anna and Rick Knecht. 2019. “Bridging Past and Present: A Study of Precontact Yupik Masks from the Nunalleq Site, Alaska” Arctic Anthro. 56:18-38. DOI: 10.3368/aa.56.1.18

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Support for this podcast series is generously provided by the University of Delaware's Department of Art Conservation in honor of Bruno Pouliot.