Previous Education

B.A. (Archaeology), University of Toronto, 2026

Supervisor

Dr. Lisa Rankin

Keywords

Decolonial Archaeology; Community Archaeology; Relationality; International Repatriation; Object Itinerary; Assemblage Theory.

Research Statement

My current research interests lie in the plurality of archaeological interpretations; I am interested in understanding the ways people assign meaning to material culture in the past and present. My research focuses on a collection of Inuit cultural belongings housed at the Marischal Museum in Aberdeen, Scotland, which they are working with the Nunatsiavut government to repatriate. My research will investigate how the material culture in this collection from Newfoundland and Labrador came to be defined as a cohesive collection. By conducting archival research and interviews with professionals at the Marischal Museum, I will tell the story of these objects in a way that critically engages with the circumstances of their collection and deposit at this museum to fill the gaps in the current records. Ultimately, my goal is to provide the Nunatsiavut government and its communities with the information they need to continue repatriation and connect descendant communities with their heritage. My hope is that this research will contribute to the development of a more accessible and inclusive archaeology that serves communities today.

Contact

mkpare@mun.ca