Theses and Dissertations Collection

Public archaeology emphasizes methods and interpretations which benefit indigenous, stakeholder, and descendant communities. This thesis explores the use of collaboration in the pursuit of creating a mobile artifact exhibit as a method of public outreach. I created the exhibit using artifacts originating from Iosepa, a settlement site established by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Skull Valley, Utah from 1889 to 1917, where the majority of residents were Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Latter-day Saints. I collaborated with both members of the Iosepa descendant community, as well as the Museum of Peoples and Cultures in Provo, Utah, which houses Iosepa artifacts that were recovered in 2008 and 2010 excavations conducted by SUNY Potsdam. The goal of this collaboration was to create a mobile artifact exhibit to be used at annual Memorial Day celebrations held by the Iosepa descendant community at the Iosepa cemetery. Combining community interviews, archival research, and excavated material culture, the exhibit offers a glimpse into the personal stories of Iosepa’s first residents while also educating about the practice of archaeology. I include a description of my methodologies, providing a blueprint for future researchers to apply to their own projects as a method of outreach. I demonstrate that through collaboration with the descendant community I created an exhibit that not only increased public interest in the archaeological process, but also resulted in an interpretive display that best meets community needs.