Wabanaki Artifacts Ignite Collaboration at University of New Brunswick

In a significant archaeological initiative, the University of New Brunswick (UNB) and the Wolastoqey Nation have embarked on a project to explore and catalogue a collection of artifacts associated with Wabanaki heritage. The artifacts, housed in the university’s Archives and Special Collections Department, were largely unknown to the Wolastoqey Nation until recent discoveries prompted a collaborative effort to unearth their historical significance.

Ramona Nicholas, the Wabanaki Heritage Lead at UNB, expressed her enthusiasm about the project, stating, “I wanna say, it’s about time.” She is one of the co-leads guiding the project, which aims to shed light on the “Bailey Indian Artifact Collection.” These banker-style boxes, collected mainly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, had never been systematically studied or catalogued.

The collection’s rediscovery began in 2023 when a group of archaeologists, as part of an unrelated research project, opened the boxes. They initially estimated around 25 artifacts, only to find an astonishing 25 boxes filled with items of immense cultural significance. Ken Holyoke, assistant professor of archaeology at the University of Lethbridge and another co-lead in the project, noted, “Immediately, the scope of this kind of grew, and we were like, ‘oh, wow, that’s pretty significant.'”

Historical Context and Ethical Considerations

The artifacts were amassed by Loring Woart Bailey, who served as a professor at UNB from 1861 to 1907. While Bailey’s efforts contributed to the collection of Indigenous artifacts, the methods he employed would be considered unethical by today’s standards. He often collected items without consent, disrupting archaeological sites and removing objects from their original contexts. Trevor Dow, another co-lead and archaeology professor at UNB, emphasized that past collectors did not regard the implications of their actions.

As the research team began to sort through the artifacts, they discovered items linked to burial practices, including beads believed to originate from a child’s burial site in the Tobique region. Recognizing the sensitivity of this finding, the team promptly reached out to the Wolastoqey Nation to seek guidance on how to proceed.

Nicholas recalled a previous ceremony she conducted around similar burial-related artifacts, stating, “I don’t want to say it felt good, but there was a good feeling about being able to bring some ceremony to that.” This connection laid the groundwork for a fruitful partnership between the archaeologists and the Wolastoqey Nation.

A Collaborative Path Forward

The collaboration has led to increased accessibility for Wolastoqey members, who have been invited to engage with the collection directly. Community meetings have been organized, and students from the Wolastoqey Nation have joined the documentation and cataloguing efforts. Jamie Gorman, resource development consultation coordinator with Neqotkuk First Nation, expressed optimism about the project’s potential: “This became this opportunity to be like, wow, we can tell these stories.”

Among the artifacts, researchers have found a unique groundstone frog sculpture, described by Dow as “wholly unique” in the archaeological record. The collection also includes items dating back to the Late Paleoindian Period, challenging previous assumptions about human activity in New Brunswick during that time.

“This collection is significant in the sense that we can learn a lot about a very limited time frame,” Holyoke remarked. The discoveries open new avenues for understanding ancestral life, particularly during periods that have not been well documented in the Maritimes.

While the project has generated excitement, it also highlights the ongoing challenge of access to Indigenous heritage. Dallas Tomah, a research assistant and member of the Wotstak First Nation, articulated mixed feelings about the collection. He noted the importance of making such artifacts accessible to Indigenous communities, emphasizing, “This is a very small fraction of what Indigenous communities don’t have access to.”

Holyoke acknowledged the need to address these issues, suggesting that the current project could serve as a model for other archaeological collections, fostering respectful practices that empower Indigenous communities.

Ultimately, both Nicholas and Tomah envision a future where the collection is returned to the Wolastoqey Nation, allowing them to determine its fate. “I think it would be an incredible healing process for Indigenous communities to have access to these materials,” Tomah stated.

As discussions continue, the research team is also considering renaming the collection to reflect its renewed significance. Nicholas recently facilitated a talking circle to involve community voices in this process, further demonstrating the project’s commitment to inclusivity.

While the collection may evoke uncomfortable conversations about the past, Gorman believes the active participation of Wolastoqey voices marks a positive step forward. “This is a good news story, more than it is emblematic of injustice in the past,” he concluded.