Expert: Ralph Salier - 11/29/2007

Question
My name is Emily and I am very young. I am still in elementary school but I want to be an archeologist and I am interested in the American Indians. Even my grandmothers relatives were American Indians. Please give me advice on the study of the culture and heritage. Thank You

Answer
Hi Emily,  

Since you are a Native American there are lots of great opportunities for you to go to college when the time is right.  Part of archaeology is the study of cultures called anthropology. Since your grandmothers relatives are Native American, you should sit with them ask them lots of questions. This is the best way to learn about your heritage.  Learning about your own heritage also will help you learn how your family integrated into the larger American society (not that this is good or bad).  

Then, as you learn about cultures, you will beging to develop an understanding of every day life in both your world and their's. Every day life includes the use of all kinds of tools and materials which today may include pots and pans, glasses and other things of daily life.  Ask your relatives what they remember from their childhoods and see what was different about their tools and materials of every day life.  

As an archaeologist, you will be finding the remains of every day life from food remains to their pots and cooking fires. We then try to "reconstruct" their lives based on these items.  So, if you have an understanding of these things we use today, you will have an insight to how the ancient ones used their tools and every day materials.