Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Open Access Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Industrial Heritage and Archaeology (MS)
Administrative Home Department
Department of Social Sciences
Advisor 1
Melissa F. Baird
Committee Member 1
Carol A. MacLennan
Committee Member 2
Michelle E. Jarvie-Eggart
Abstract
Land rematriation and cultural revitalization are crucial to addressing the ongoing impacts of settler colonialism on Indigenous communities, particularly for the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The National Register of Historic Places and federal recognition processes have traditionally marginalized Indigenous practices and land claims, yet, as I argue in this thesis, they hold potential for reappropriation in support of sovereignty and heritage. This thesis argues that integrating Indigenous methodologies, geospatial research, and archival analyses can forge a path toward effective land rematriation efforts. My findings reveal culturally significant sites connected to the historic village of Getegitigaaning, helping to create a comprehensive homelands territory map that emphasizes Indigenous stewardship and resource gathering beyond colonial boundaries. By highlighting the importance of these sites, this research underscores the necessity of acknowledging and protecting Indigenous landscapes. This thesis provides a model for other tribes to reclaim their heritage and rights in the face of colonial legacies. Ultimately, this study contributes to broader discussions on Indigenous sovereignty and cultural revitalization and provides a framework to reclaim ancestral lands in the context of contemporary challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Hazen, Robert E., "LAND REMATRIATION: UTILIZING THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES AND DEVELOPING TRIBAL HOMELAND TERRITORIES FOR THE RESTORATION OF HISTORIC LANDSCAPES AND SOVEREIGNTY", Open Access Master's Thesis, Michigan Technological University, 2025.
Included in
Geographic Information Sciences Commons, Other Anthropology Commons, Place and Environment Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, Social Justice Commons