The Central Archaeology Group Inc. (CAGI)

Here are some abstracts for articles on public archaeology, cultural heritage concerns, and indigenous rights that you might be interested in Who's indigenous? Whose archaeology? Bill Sillar The International Labour Organisation, the United Nations and various indigenous Organisations have raised and/or objected to diverse criteria through which indigenous groups have been defined and the rights that should be accorded to them. This paper discusses the implications of these issues in relation to archaeological research and heritage management and uses this to position the other papers in this volume. Specific themes that are addressed include: the impact of colonialism and nationforming on indigenous groups; the continuing influence of 19th and early 20th century social evolutionary concepts on the representation of indigenous groups and the role of archival material from this period today; the contrasting processes of cultural continuity and assimilation within 'dominant' ...

The archaeological process in Ontario is conducted in four sequential stages. Stage I, and in most cases Stage II, are required for residential and commercial development and infrastructure improvement undertaken in the Province under the Planning and Environmental Assessment Acts. Stage III and Stage IV investigations are determined through documentary and cultural resources encountered during the Stage I and Stage II assessments. The Ministry of Culture is currently reviewing the standards for archaeology in Ontario. The new guidelines are expected to be in place in the spring of 2007. Not only does the Central Archaeology Group adhere to the existing Ministry of Culture’s Archaeological Assessment Technical Guidelines, but in anticipation of these new guidelines, we have already incorporated them into our work practices. Stage I – Background Study The purpose of the Stage I assessment is to investigate the cultural land use, archaeological history, and the present condition of a p...

(reprinted courtesy of the Ministry of Culture-to be redirected to their website click on the link above) Since the Ontario Heritage Act was proclaimed in 1975. LACACs and municipalities have developed considerable experience in identifying and designating individual heritage properties and districts. Now, in the conservation field, we are expanding our interest from individual buildings as landmarks to an appreciation of cultural landscapes. People have always altered their surroundings to meet their needs. However, the natural landscape should not be considered as merely a setting for buildings but as an influence upon them and human activities. While there are various definitions of cultural landscapes, all emphasize the interrelationship of people and the natural environment. Cultural landscapes are characterized by the activities and processes which have shaped them. It is our shared sense of the values they represent that make them significant. We should not confuse cultural with...

(reprinted courtesy of the Ministry of Culture-to be redirected to their website please click on the link above) Well-intentioned individuals and groups have over the years sought to improve cemeteries in projects ranging from quick clean-ups to total reconfigurations of the original layout. Many generations of Ontarians have expressed concern about poor conditions in older cemeteries. The Canadian Freeman in 1833 called the St James churchyard "the most dangerous nuisance" in York (Toronto) and urged the Board of Health to take action. A correspondent to the Canada Farmer asked in 1864, "Why is it that the grounds here are left so untidy, some of them full of logs and stumps?" An editorial of 1903 in the Canadian Horticulturist commented, "A neglected graveyard with uncut grass, broken fences and stones that are falling over, seems to shame the living, and speak loudly of their lack of reverence for their ancestry." A common response to overcrowded and de...

(reprinted courtesy of the Ministry of Culture-to be redirected to their website click on the link above) Our inheritance of architecture, cultural landscapes, and material culture is an irreplaceable asset and resource. In Ontario, the task of conserving historically and architecturally significant properties is primarily a municipal matter. The Ontario Heritage Act provides a framework within which municipalities can act to ensure conservation of such properties. It also encourages citizens participation in local heritage conservation. Local municipalities may designate heritage cemeteries under Parts IV and V of the Ontario Heritage Act (Ontario, 1990b). Cemetery owners or property managers may also enter into easement agreements with other agencies, such as the Ontario Heritage Foundation or a municipality. All these measures may assist in preservation of cemeteries. Properties may either be associated with significant heritage buildings or be related to a settlement or rural area....

(reprinted courtesy of the Ministry of Culture-click on the link above to be redirected to their website) Older cemeteries are visible, tangible links with people who made history -- ordinary individuals as well as famous people. The inscriptions on their monuments tell us not only their names and dates, but often where they lived, their occupation and affiliations, the manner of their death, personal traits that survivors held dear, and names of relatives. These inscriptions instruct us about local, medical, and material history, cultural geography, historical archaeology, folklore, genealogy, and much more. A cemetery is more than a collection of interesting historical data -- as precious and revealing as that may be. It is also a place -- an open space populated by monuments and vegetation -- which forms a very particular and revealing part of our built environment. There are things to be learned from the overall layout and arrangement of the monuments. We can note the nature and qu...