Collective Memory, Collective Memory, Nation-building Nation-building

and Shared and Shared IdentitiesIdentities

Building Memory & Building Memory & Shaping National & Shaping National &

International Identities by International Identities by reclaiming “history”reclaiming “history” Notions of shared Notions of shared

history (“facts”) as history (“facts”) as shared identitiesshared identities

Recall Recall film about Head film about Head

TaxTax Shared identities Shared identities

and lineages and lineages (Zerubavel)(Zerubavel)

Other ways of thinking Other ways of thinking about historical about historical

connectionsconnections

Human Human DescenDescen

t t ModelsModels MonogenMonogen

istist PolygeniPolygeni

stst

A Case Study : African A Case Study : African Heritage, Nova Scotia Heritage, Nova Scotia Communities and the Communities and the

Cultural FutureCultural Future

Historical context (recent) Historical context (recent) Destruction of Africville in Destruction of Africville in

the 1970sthe 1970s Video clip from Video clip from Remember Africville– before (settlement) & Remember Africville– before (settlement) &

after (small park with monument) destruction of the after (small park with monument) destruction of the communitycommunity

Government Policy & Public Government Policy & Public AdministrationAdministration

Office of African Nova Office of African Nova ScotianScotian Affairs Affairs

Tangible and Intangible Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage as Sites Cultural Heritage as Sites

of Memoryof Memory Heritage preservation Heritage preservation BEYOND PHYSICAL BEYOND PHYSICAL “things”“things”

Continuing uses & Continuing uses & meanings – ideas for meanings – ideas for contemporary ways of contemporary ways of “performing” culture & “performing” culture & historic practiceshistoric practices

Communicating values & Communicating values & techniques (skills)techniques (skills)

Youth Sailing WorkshopIn connection with

“Amistad” sailing

Example: Re-recreation of Example: Re-recreation of “Amistad” voyage (but in the “Amistad” voyage (but in the

other direction)other direction)

Changes in Grade School Changes in Grade School CurriculumCurriculum

Collective Memory as Collective Memory as Cultural MediationCultural Mediation

NotNot just about rethinking just about rethinking ‘representations’‘representations’

NotNot a chain of information flowing a chain of information flowing unchanged from one point to unchanged from one point to another another production, mediation, receptionproduction, mediation, reception

Tangible & intangible heritage as Tangible & intangible heritage as sites of cultural memorysites of cultural memory

New Perspectives in New Perspectives in Theories of Cultural Theories of Cultural

MediationMediation Core notions: Core notions:

active agency, appropriation (make it active agency, appropriation (make it your own)your own)

lived experience & grounded practice lived experience & grounded practice Networks of collaboration, different Networks of collaboration, different

perspectivesperspectives Material & symbolic dimensions—Material & symbolic dimensions—

cultural heritage implications (material cultural heritage implications (material culture important too)culture important too)

Case Case Study:Study:

Black Loyalist Black Loyalist Heritage Heritage Preservation in Preservation in Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia, CanadaCanada

Part 1: Black Loyalist Part 1: Black Loyalist HistoryHistory 1770s– conflict in 1770s– conflict in

British Colonies in British Colonies in the New World-- the New World-- War of War of Independence Independence (American Revolution) (American Revolution)

Loyalists Loyalists (Tories)(Tories) vs. Rebels vs. Rebels (Patriots, (Patriots, Sons of Liberty)Sons of Liberty)

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/http://museum.gov.ns.ca/blackloyalists/blackloyalists/

British PromisesBritish Promises British policy (1775-British policy (1775-

Lord Dunmore’s Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation: freedom Proclamation: freedom for slaves owned by for slaves owned by rebels who fought for rebels who fought for BritishBritish

Philipsburg Philipsburg Proclamation, 1779)Proclamation, 1779) : : encourage slaves owned encourage slaves owned

by rebels to fleeby rebels to flee Why? economic warfare, Why? economic warfare,

service to armed forcesservice to armed forces Promise of freedomPromise of freedom

Roles of Black LoyalistsRoles of Black Loyalists Many military units Many military units

as musicians, guides as musicians, guides Army & navyArmy & navy Black Regiments: The Black Regiments: The

Black Pioneers, the Black Pioneers, the Guides, the Jersey Guides, the Jersey Shore volunteers, the Shore volunteers, the King’s American King’s American Dragoons etc.Dragoons etc.

Certificates of FreedomCertificates of Freedom 1783-Treaty of 1783-Treaty of

ParisParis stipulated stipulated British evacuate British evacuate without “carrying without “carrying away any Negroes or away any Negroes or other Property of the other Property of the American American Inhabitants”Inhabitants”

C. of F: Certified that C. of F: Certified that holder was free at holder was free at time of Treay of Paristime of Treay of Paris

Log of Black Log of Black Loyalists planning to Loyalists planning to leave : leave : Carleton’s Carleton’s Book of NegroesBook of Negroes

Black LoyalistsBlack Loyalists

British left the U.S. British left the U.S. with Loyalists—with Loyalists—about 3,500 came about 3,500 came to Nova Scotia & to Nova Scotia & New BrunswickNew Brunswick

Birchtown, Nova Scotia Birchtown, Nova Scotia 17831783

Probably largest community of free Probably largest community of free North Americans of African ancestry North Americans of African ancestry on continenton continent

Harsh ConditionsHarsh Conditions

Struggles & Struggles & Race RiotRace Riot

late summer and fall late summer and fall arrivalsarrivals

Little experience with Little experience with cold climate (48 BL cold climate (48 BL African born)African born)

RockRocky land, little topy land, little topsoil, soil, dense woodsdense woods

Lack of suppliesLack of supplies Black Loyalist land Black Loyalist land

grants delayedgrants delayed Race riot --1784Race riot --1784

Continued Hardships, Continued Hardships, EmigrationEmigration

Bad weather, crop failures, severe Bad weather, crop failures, severe winterswinters

1791--Sierra Leone Company offered 1791--Sierra Leone Company offered free passage to Africa to 1200 Black free passage to Africa to 1200 Black Loyalists Nova ScotiaLoyalists Nova Scotia

Migration RoutesMigration Routes

Other Important Settlement Other Important Settlement Sites of Nova Scotians of Sites of Nova Scotians of

African HeritageAfrican Heritage

Part 2: Part 2: Birchtown TodayBirchtown Today Harbour and ChurchHarbour and Church

Birchtown todayBirchtown today

Mysterious MoundsMysterious Mounds Material culture & Material culture &

memorymemory Purpose?Purpose? Symbolism ?Symbolism ?

Then (?)Then (?) NowNow

MoundsMounds

Importance of Importance of Archaeological Records of Archaeological Records of African American HistoryAfrican American History

Few written Few written records by records by ancestorsancestors

Few material Few material artefacts (poverty) artefacts (poverty)

Links to lost Links to lost connections to connections to origins (example: origins (example: waistbeads at waistbeads at African Burial African Burial Ground– NYC)Ground– NYC)

Community ActionCommunity Action

1990—Nova Scotia 1990—Nova Scotia province plans to build a province plans to build a landfill site (dump) on site landfill site (dump) on site of the moundsof the mounds

Shelburne County Shelburne County Cultural Awareness Cultural Awareness Society established to Society established to preserve Black Loyalist preserve Black Loyalist Heritage (Now Black Heritage (Now Black Loyalist Heritage Society)Loyalist Heritage Society)

Archaeological Digs Archaeological Digs

To authenticate To authenticate claims for claims for development of Black development of Black Loyalist heritage Loyalist heritage preservation site and preservation site and document historydocument history

DigsDigs

SCCAS (Black Loyalist SCCAS (Black Loyalist Heritage Society) Heritage Society)

InitiativeInitiative

Sign for MonumentSign for Monument

First MonumentFirst Monument

Community Community LeadershipLeadership

Founding member Founding member of SCCASof SCCASElizabeth Elizabeth CromwellCromwell

Other prominent Other prominent community community members who are members who are Black Loyalist Black Loyalist descendents: high descendents: high school principal, school principal, church leaders church leaders etc.etc.

Participation of Nova Scotia Participation of Nova Scotia MuseumMuseum

Museum ExhibitionMuseum Exhibition

ExhibitionExhibition Curated by Curated by

Carmelita Carmelita RobertsonRobertson

NS Museum of NS Museum of Natural Natural HistoryHistory

Travelling Travelling exhibitexhibit

Now in Now in Birchtown Birchtown

MuseumMuseum

material heritage material heritage projects: projects:

CommemoratiCommemorative Sitesve Sites MuseumMuseum Walking Walking

trail & trail & boardwalkboardwalk

OfficesOffices CentreCentre

Other ProjectsOther Projects Heritage Education Heritage Education

Program (curriculum Program (curriculum & extra-curricular)& extra-curricular)

Achievement prizesAchievement prizes Youth skills initiativeYouth skills initiative Community centre Community centre

projectproject Black Loyalist RegistryBlack Loyalist Registry

Forms & brochures at Forms & brochures at meetingmeeting

Research (continuing Research (continuing archaeological digs)archaeological digs)

Connections to Connections to International NetworksInternational Networks

Black cultural centre Black cultural centre (Dartmouth)(Dartmouth)

Wall honouring African-Wall honouring African-descended RCMPdescended RCMP

Meeting with Minister of Meeting with Minister of African Nova Scotian African Nova Scotian

AffairsAffairs

But in 2006- Arson But in 2006- Arson AttacksAttacks

Biography & Collective Biography & Collective Memory: The Charleston Memory: The Charleston

ConnectionConnection NS museum NS museum Researchers discovery:Researchers discovery: Ancestors of one slaves of Ancestors of one slaves of

the ancestors of the other the ancestors of the other in Charleston, S.C.in Charleston, S.C.

Film Film LoyalitiesLoyalities (Canadian Broadcasting (Canadian Broadcasting Corp., 1998) –screening Corp., 1998) –screening today -- about today -- about their trip to Charleston to their trip to Charleston to

visit the plantation where visit the plantation where their ancestors lived their ancestors lived

their experiences of the their experiences of the legacy of slavery legacy of slavery

Concluding Remarks: Concluding Remarks: Memory as MediationMemory as Mediation

biography & collective memory in biography & collective memory in contemporary cultural practicecontemporary cultural practice

Example of actor-network theory of Example of actor-network theory of “mediation practices”“mediation practices” Community leadership BUT alsoCommunity leadership BUT also Multi-faceted, ‘cross-disciplinary ’ networks of Multi-faceted, ‘cross-disciplinary ’ networks of

collaboration: collaboration: different kinds of people with different backgrounds different kinds of people with different backgrounds

training expertise &motivations (architaects, training expertise &motivations (architaects, archaeologists, historians, community organizers, archaeologists, historians, community organizers, filmmakers….)filmmakers….)

Interaction part of meaning-making processInteraction part of meaning-making process

Cultural Preservation as Cultural Preservation as Mediation Mediation

Cultural heritage preservation NOT just about Cultural heritage preservation NOT just about preservation of objects/material remainspreservation of objects/material remains

Complex interplay of material and symbolic-- Complex interplay of material and symbolic-- past, present and future– but material culture past, present and future– but material culture importantimportant

Collective memory not simply the reconstruction Collective memory not simply the reconstruction of something that previously existedof something that previously existed

Preservation efforts vital to Preservation efforts vital to contemporary contemporary cultural practices—cultural practices— New collective New collective understandings of culture --enhance lived understandings of culture --enhance lived experience now & build cultural futureexperience now & build cultural future

Image CreditsImage Credits

Black Loyalist Heritage SocietyBlack Loyalist Heritage Society Nova Scotia MuseumsNova Scotia Museums Some photos shot by MarontateSome photos shot by Marontate