This semester has been amazing, I have learned so much ,not just from professor Rowe ,but about my community around me. I hadn’t really ever paid attention to the history around me before, I always seem to focus on the history everywhere else but here. But now I realize that I don’t have to travel far for me to find a rich and culture filled history. Collecting data at the Hidalgo public cemetery has been a great experience. I go to do hands on work with actual tools that archaeologist use on field excavations, I made new friends and got close to old ones. My professor has opened new doors for my future ,which is something I’m very excited about. I’ve also kind learned to understand life and death . The deceased buried at the cemetery all had stories ,some of them could’ve been happy or sad, but at some point of their life they must’ve had someone that loved them,because if they didn’t then they wouldn’t have had some many grave offerings. My eyes this past semester have somehow been trained to look at things differently even more than they already were before. I can now see different details in the ground , I can now tell what a grave slump looks like and am able to tell what it means , I can see the walking trails in grass that have occurred over time from students taking shortcuts. The Utrgv symposium is something I thought that I would’ve never be apart of, I never thought we would ever win a team award for it either, but we did, which was an amazing moment. That moment meant that our work was also important not only to ourselves but to other people in the public and that this project intrigues people and makes them think about the history of the community they’ve lived in all their life. This project is also a great experience for myself and my fellow students, those of us who are studying anthropology, know how expensive field schools can be , so I know that we all really appreciate the hands on work we get to do with the equipment, such as the total mapping station, which is what we used to map the cemetery that way in the future we can upload the map online and it can allow people searching for their loved ones ,see images of the headstones and know there location. Overall this semester has been an amazing experience and it has opened more doors for my future and I am very excited to see where those doors will take me.
Blog
Media Outreach
Blogging this semester has been very interesting ,to be honest I wasn’t very excited about it, I felt like the blogs weren’t going to keep me interested enough or be very exciting for other people to read.But I was wrong ,I actually liked blogging , it reminded me of writing in a journal or a memory book since ,here online I would be able to talk about my experiences with this project and think about different ways how this project not only effects me as a student but how it affects the community. I think social media has a big impact no matter what you talk about,it can be anything form a political opinion, and opinion about fashion,movies,music or even just gossip. Social media can be a very positive or negative thing at times,but I think our type of project needs to be seen by the public since we do need the public’s help with figuring out just how many people are buried at the cemetery and if they have any surviving relatives who are looking for them. I think it would be interesting to have live streams of what were doing at the cemetery and we could do that be either using Facebook or Instagram.We could have videos of what were doing on our phones and then upload them separately on the Instagram page or Facebook page. An example of an Instagram page for archaeology can be the “Institute of field Research”, also known as IFR, its a page that provides archaeological field study programs for students and individuals all around the world. Everyday the page uploads images or videos of the different sites that students are participating at. So for our Instagram page we could add pictures or videos of us working either at the cemetery with the total mapping station or in the classroom working on the data analysis. We could even have QA live streams were people can ask questions about what were doing with this project. Now I know what your’re thinking ‘how in the world are we going to get people to even know about project,for them to even know about the Instagram’? We can do this by asking the news channels to see the progress done with the project or have the UTRGV TV Newscast talk about the project and mention the social media site. Next semester, if the class decides to compete in the symposium again, we could add that social media site to the poster, along with the link to the blog posts.Over all I think that with no matter what social media site we use ,it could be very beneficial to our project.
Digital techniques for public engagement
The two digital techniques for public engagement include broadcasting and participatory as described by Bonacchi. The one we currently use for the purpose of this project and open communication for students, involves a broadcast approach. It can be described as a way for students to share opinions and information for the interest of the public.
The means of broadcast are beneficial because it can provide a very detailed amount of information that is open for others to comment and discuss. It’s a great way to mention what the project is about. How the Hidalgo county has teamed up with UTRGV for students to be able to learn about public archaeology and work directly at a sight. It provides the name and course number for anyone interested in signing up as a class. Along with the project name and course description, the web page provides an outline of the cemetery. A historical approach to how the cemetery became to be, its previous affiliation and current status. There is also a map to pin point its exact location, to which you can zoom in and view better.
Other than its introduction and history, this is the page to view students thoughts and reflections on key concepts and themes that are learned each week. Its a medium for us to communicate but also to share for the world to see. This would also be a great place to post pictures of daily activities and interesting discoveries at the cemetery. This can include objects or unique grave sites that are unlike any others. Pictures of students from every semester, community partners, tools and equipment used for data collection. Sometimes a photo alone can demonstrate a lot to the public who may not be as inclined to read. It can also help with people who don’t speak/understand English, to share some things in Spanish as well. I was a little surprised to not find a bilingual source and much more photos to share the work at the cemetery.
How might the project move towards more collaborative, co-creative, or hosted methods of engagement?
Volunteering would be a form of contributory participation to build and complete data collection. What was started gives interest to students, teachers, family and the rest of the community who might like to help out in this way. Especially through data collection because it is more simple to complete and understand, rather than having to explain a lot. A fast and simple introduction to kobo toolbox would be very efficient. I think it would be a bit more difficult to encourage the public to be more collaborative in terms of organizing data through software and open access, unless there was high interest or if they are a direct community partner.
By hosting events and sharing the project from news sources, articles, blogs, we could organize gatherings or meetings for the community to be involved. They can give their thoughts and ideas that may benefit the project in a way for them to be co-creative and participate.
What benefits can 3D technology provide to a public archaeology project, and what are the potential pitfalls? Should we integrate 3D technology into our project, and if so, how?
I am personally not a big fan of 3D, but the beauty of technology is that it is ever changing and improving. 3D technology in particular, can present an enhancing experience since we live in a world where it is being incorporated more. It may be more time consuming, but once the data begins to be organized better, I believe it can add a nice detail for the project. Even if it’s only a few photos to share.
Online Public Communication
Most people today are addicted to social media and the internet. You can now stream live news footage and follow stories or news of your interest from your phone, tablet or laptop. Social media has become something not only for people to connect but to stay informed about the world around them. However, there are still many people who do not have any type of social media account or may not be on the same social media sites as some informative news or projects are.
I have been with this project since the Fall of 2017 and even though this semester we had a local news crew do a story on us I still don’t think we have reached out to much of the community. The class however was able to gain at least three platforms with that exposure. Not only was the class featured on TV but the story was also put online and in the newspaper by the news station. Here we were able to reach people both on and off the internet or social media. It occurred to me though; the graves at the cemetery are decades old. Some graves are those of relatively young adults from the 1930’s- 1960’s; if they have any surviving relatives they may not be on any type of social media. Not many of our elders have social media or regularly use the internet. Another thing to consider is that most Hispanic families of the RGV especially the older generations primarily speak and understand only Spanish. Perhaps this fall we can contact Telemundo 48 (Noticias del Valle del Rio Grande) to be able to reach out to a greater population of the community. If we continue promote using the internet and social media to communicate with the community we should consider the community we are working with and have the information available in both Spanish and English.
Another tool that can be used to communicate with the local community is radio stations. Yes most people listen to radio stations online but there are still those who listen to local radio stations. Some businesses also have a local radio station playing in their facility. Again I would suggest a local Spanish and a local English radio station.
Ethics
Archaeologists will often find themselves working with or in a culture that is unfamiliar to them. Having good ethical standards and knowledge of local and international laws help archaeologist respect and work with all kinds of communities. Working with the public and reporting archaeological finds not only help archaeologists and anthropologist understand a particular society, but by including the community with the project researchers can gain an understanding of many aspects of the community’s culture including; religious materials, structures, symbols, language, rituals, and so forth. Understanding the local culture can also help archaeologist from misunderstandings with the community that could result in a failed project.
A community’s history belongs with its citizens to be shared and preserved for future generations. At HCPC we have come across many religious materials and other grave offerings including children’s toys, vases and potted plants. Most items have remained at the grave they were placed at while others unfortunately have ended up in the pile of debris that will be thrown away. The loss of some of these items was likely due to the cemetery having been abandoned for decades. The items lost can now never be recovered and placed at their proper grave. To some these grave offerings may not appear to be anything more than an old toy or candle, but we have to remember these items are also part of this community’s history. Now with the work we are doing hopefully we can preserve the cemetery more effectively and learn the histories of the people buried there to be able to share with the community.
Hopefully by engaging the community with this project it will help the public have a better understanding of archaeology and what kind of pertinent information it can provide.
Social Justice
Social status is something we have been able to observe in burials and graves that date back thousands of years. Some ancient grave markings are monumental while others can be a simple carving on an available piece of stone if anything at all. As seen throughout history, those of higher status tend to have better or easier access to resources and materials. This status and wealth division can be seen in civilizations and communities throughout the world; even here at HCPC it is evident. When we arrived the first day you can see the clear difference in social status between HCPC and the neighboring Hillcrest Cemetery. Hillcrest Cemetery has graves with headstones of granite and marble. The lawn is green and well maintained. While out doing data collections, gardeners and maintenance workers could be seen tending to the grounds. Before our class began meeting at the cemetery the area had to be cleaned up due to overgrown vegetation. The ground is for the most part dry vegetation and dirt. The graves have been poorly kept and many had been severely damaged. Some grave markers were constructed of metal pipe while others were of wooden crosses or home-made cement. At HCPC we have found most of the graves are that of young Hispanic individuals. Many children and infants were also found to be buried at HCPC. This made me wonder, what could have been happening in the community at this time? Was there some type of illness that contributed to young children dying? Were children of lower social status able to receive adequate healthcare compared to those of higher social status? Are there infants and children from the same time period buried at Hillcrest?
It is unfortunate that HCPC had been neglected for so long but I am glad to be part of this project that is giving a piece of Hidalgo County’s history back to the community.
What is Public Archaeology?
To me Public Archaeology is a type of archaeological work. Public archaeology is when archaeologists communicate and work with the public when they are working on projects. Another part of public archaeology is that the archaeologists are making data and their interpretations on that data known to the public. So, to me I think that Public Archaeology is a way to keep the public informed and interested in the type of work that archaeologists do. Like for example, information about projects can be more easily found and understood by people that are not part of the archaeological field. Our project aligns with my definition of Public Archaeology because it deals with being in contact and giving information to the public. In this class, there is a blog to keep people aware of some of the things that we are doing in the cemetery. It also helps that one of the main goals of this project is to make the information know to the public by having a website about the grave and their locations so that the people might be able to find relatives. This part of the project isn’t very worked on in this semester, but it is one of the end goals and it also might be worked on more in the next semester. The lines of investigating that I am interested in pursuing are professionalism and ethics. One of the main problem in public archaeology is that there aren’t many fulltime archaeologists that are working on it they might work on a project that involves the public but then they go back to their own research that doesn’t deal with the public by either communicating or sharing data. With not that many people working on it there isn’t much information and research into what it is and how to go about putting in into motion. The part of this that deals with ethics is worth investigating because it is a way to make sure that everyone understands each other’s point of view and so that the researchers don’t end up insulting or going against the wishes of the people. Some information that archaeology brings to light might not be well received by the people that it is from and other so it is something that must be addresses by the archaeologist and the people .
Engaging with Publics Online
In the article that Rocks-Macqueen wrote it mentions how you can narrow it down to a few social network platforms. So for the HCPC project I think it would be a good idea to have a combination of three different platform. It might be a little difficult because it would probably be very time-consuming and maybe a little difficult to make sure that the information in all three stay connected to each other. The three that I think would be good to use for this project would be Twitter, Facebook and WordPress. I think that they would work great together because they each can have a function to fulfill. Twitter has the way to make the project be more well-known since it is a very popular site but with it character limit it can’t have a lot of information but it would be a good way to connect people who are interested with the other social media platforms so that they can get more information on the project. Facebook is also a good platform since it is also well known and most people can join groups that catch their interest or even if they don’t join a group they will still look through the page to see if any of the post catch their interest and it also allows more information than twitter would. Also another point for Facebook would be that the group or page can be spread by flyers or word of mouth and that people who are interested in the class might know about it and apply in other semesters. WordPress is a little like facebook but more private since not many people have a WordPress blog unless it’s for a specific reason so it might be a little redundant but it would still be a good way to blog information and opinions.
Reflection: Spring 2018
This semester taught me a lot about doing archaeology not only out in the field with the community but the technical and digital aspect of it as well. Before taking this course I didn’t think much about archaeologist having to work with computers and different types of software for data collecting and interpretation. Hopefully in the fall we will be able to learn our way around the digital aspect of the project a little more in depth. I know eventually I will need to become adequately familiar with these computer and digital resources for any future projects.
This semester I think went fairly smooth and I believe we were able to get more done this semester. We were able to record data for most if not all the graves. Having a bigger class this semester and returning students helped move things along. Those of us returning had already experienced some glitches in uploading data and were able to assist other students. The Total Station continued to be used and setting it up seems to be the overall most difficult part of its process. Dr. Rowe has been very patient in helping us set it up week after week! Once it’s up and running it’s easy to use and take measurements. It’s been fun watching classmates bending tree branches in order for the total station and prism to line up. I personally enjoy working with the total station and prism. I didn’t master setting it up this semester but there’s always the fall to continue working on it. I’m looking forward for the fall semester to continue with this project. I intend to continue with it until I graduate from UTRGV.
Communicating Archaeology
Communicating archaeology is key when it comes to dealing with archaeology over all. Archaeology, even more so Public Archaeology is not possible without the people/community. In Mitch Allen’s article “In Public Benefits of Archaeology”, it is discussed how the public assists archaeology and the researchers within the project to make it strive.
The writings for archaeologists is different that what I am use to, exhibit A it is recommended to use I. My whole life of writing it has always been forbidden to write in my own point of view, and now it’s recommended which does take awhile to adjust to. However, it sends out a nice message that the writing is personal. I believe writing on a personal level definitely attracts readers. Writing on a personal level could be the hook that Allen writes about. Allen writes there are 10 ways to attract the audience, “1. Find a hook. 2. Tell a story. 3. Include yourself. 4. Write in plain English (or Spanish or Hopi). 5. Talk to a single reader. 6. Create memorable identifiers. 7. Use only the data you need. 8. Present data visually. 9. Emphasize theory and method. 10. Always think of your audience.” (Allen, 2002, p.248). Following these steps assures you will attract an audience into your writings.
First, one will always need to report the important information like the findings, before discussing the details. That way, the readers know everything you are discussing actually leads up to important findings. Explain the history behind your findings, and discuss why it is important to you as an author. This makes it more personal and real which attracts readers. This also ties into including yourself, which can also mean writing in first person. Writing in first person is something I have been told is something one must never do. Yet, here I am using the term I and it feels great to be able to make my writings on a more personal level. Even though Allen recommends writing in English or Spanish, I believe for our particular project it is important we release information in Spanish since the community is heavily Mexican, or Mexican-American. Also, most of the graves are of Mexican descent. As a writer we need to be able to reach out to a single reader, making them feel as our writings are specifically for them, because they are. We want to connect to each reader on a personal level. Adding photos to your writings, and especially blogs is a major bonus as well. I personally love to see one’s personal findings through images, it creates a more personal feel and helps the reader understand exactly what one is discussing.
The purpose of communicating all these ideas is to attract the readers and allowing them to engage in your writings. A major concept in Archaeology is attracting the public/ community. With the HCPCP with the help of the community we will be able to go further into our project as they can give us important information needed. Whether it is identifying unmarked graves, and even give us their history with the cemetery and their loved ones. We as future archaeologists will be able to understand on a more personal level as well, the history of the Hidalgo County Public Cemetery and the individuals buried there.
