Articles

Museum professionals and archeologists play a key role in preserving cultural heritage. Collaborating with Texas Tribes: A Workbook for Museum Professionals and Archeologists serves as a starting point for those who want to do this work better when collaborating with Native American communities. This resource, developed by the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Department of Transportation in partnership with Story + Reason, provides practical steps for those on this important journey.

A new virtual companion—designed to be used alongside the physical workbook—launched earlier this fall. The original workbook guides users through key concepts and activities; the virtual companion brings those ideas to life through the voices of those doing the work.

The virtual companion includes over twenty videos created in partnership with the project's Tribal Advisory Group. Users will hear from different Tribal representatives about how they have approached communication, navigated challenges, expressed needs, observed shortcomings, built trust, and worked together effectively. Their stories illustrate the many ways tools from the workbook can be applied in real-world situations and what users can expect when doing this work.

Collaborating with Texas Tribes is designed to guide museum professionals and archeologists through what their work requires in the moment and to be an ongoing resource when faced with changes in capacity or need. The workbook and virtual companion offer clear steps, tools, and activities to foster respectful relationships and empower users to take immediate, meaningful steps toward integrating Native perspectives and traditional knowledge systems into their work.