3D scanning cultural artifacts for preservation

Throughout the history of colonialism, collectors and curators acquired cultural, religious and spiritual artifacts from Indigenous communities, through force, plunder, unethical means and trade. Many of these items made their way into public institutions such as museums, whereas, others became part of private collections.

In recent years, an increasing number of countries, cultures and communities have started dialogues with cultural institutions, such as museums, regarding the repatriation of their cultural patrimony. These calls for the repatriation of items acquired through questionable means have often been met with resistence. In an attempt to combat the resistence of such institutions, The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Article 11) states:

"1. Indigenous peoples have the right to practise and revitalize their cultural traditions and customs. This includes the right to maintain, protect and develop the past, present and future manifestations of their cultures, such as archaeological and historical sites, artefacts, designs, ceremonies, technologies and visual and performing arts and literature.

2. States shall provide redress through effective mechanisms, which may include restitution, developed in conjunction with indigenous peoples, with respect to their cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property taken without their free, prior and informed consent or in violation of their laws, traditions and customs."

Indigenous peoples also face the problem of their cultural artifacts being deaccessioned by museums and auctioned off, as occurred to 220 items of the Indigenous collections of the Glenbow Museum in 2011 to raise funding for other exhibitions. This raises the question of ownership of Indigenous cultural patrimony (defined as: "Objects possessing continuing cultural, traditional, or historical importance to the heritage of a group, particularly those considered inaloienable by the group as of the time the objects had been separated from the group or from the historical setting of the objects").

This issue is not only prevalent amongst cultural institutions in the Americas, but also exists at cultural institutions across the world, which hold collections of artifacts from a variety of cultures. Calls for repatriation have become stronger, but are often met with institutional resistence. Museums seldom wish to return items to their communities of origin, in order to maintaining stewardship over cultural items when it is thought that the community of origin does not have adequate housing. Encyclopedic museums have indicated that they provide educational opportunities for visitors to learn about a variety of world cultures, and to repatriate artifacts would leave an empty building and would not rectify the wrongs of colonialism. The simple act of denying Indigenous claims to their own cultural heritage, is a continuation of colonialism in itself. 

The solution that I am proposing to the problem of repatriating Indigenous cultural patrimony from cultural institutions, is to utilize 3D scanning technology to make high quality 3D scans of artifacts to be returned to the associated Indigenous communities. These can be used for the nation's own purposes, such as research and reclamation of cultural knowledge. The scans can be used to create replicas that can be returned to communities and specific families. Depending on the materials utilized to manufacture the original item, 3D printing technologies can also be employed to create a replica. The 3D scans can also be utilized in the creation of virtual museum spaces.

Recently, a family member from my community, Berens River First Nation in Manitoba, Canada, commenced a dialogue with two museums in Pennsylvania that house the cultural patrimony of my nation. She visited the museums and gained access to viewing several artifacts and photographs in hopes of repatriating those items eventually. Many nations, such as my own, are experiencing a cultural resurgence. Through residential schools and boarding schools, much of the cultural knowledge was erased in favour of Christianity and Western culture. My family member was able to gain access to Midewiwin Society birch bark medicine scrolls and other important spiritual items. To return that type of knowledge to the communities of origin would be an invaluable service, as many Indigenous people have become lost, with a feeling of disconnection from their ancestral culture. Returning items to their commumity of origin, even if it is only in the form of a 3D scan, is an act of decolonization and indigenization. It is an important step, which can ultimately open up the door to the repatriation of the artifacts themselves. 

3D Laser Scanning is a non-contact, non-destructive technology that digitally captures the shape of physical objects using a line of laser light. 3D laser scanners create “point clouds” of data from the surface of an object.

I currently own two 3D scanners to deliver this solution. The Revopoint Range scanner is a new device which can be used to capture large scans with a high degree of accuracy. The Revopoint Pop 2 Scanner is a 3D scanner used to capture scans of smaller items.

Link to the two specific 3D scanners that I own (Revopoint Range and Revopoint POP 2 3D Scanners): https://youtu.be/Wjnmw4fhD1Y

The solution proposed is meant to serve Indigenous populations in North America, but is widley applicable to Indigenous populations found throughout the world. Realistically, 3D scanning technology can be employed in any museum collection as a means of preserving items for posterity and creating digital museum spaces. 

Historically, peoples subjugated through acts of colonialism have suffered from unequal power dynamics that left them vulnerable and underserved. This was by design, as Indigenous peoples were considered inferior and many processes such as ceremony bans and residential schools were used as tools of assimilation, resulting in an immense loss of culture, language and knowledge. The reservation system, particularly in remote communities, in addition to poverty, meant that Indigenous populations had lesser and unequal access to quality education. Therefore, fewer Indigenous peoples had the means or qualifications to approach museums to negotiate the return of cultural patrimony. Systemic racism has been another barrier to such negotiations, but these systemic barriers have really started to be exposed over the past 5 years. Colonialism is still at play, however, and much more work needs to be done to reconnect ancestral artifacts with their home communities. 

The solution will provide a source of cultural pride, as individuals reconnect with the artifacts through 3D scans and replicas. Many Indigenous peoples feel a great sense of loss and disconnection from their culture due to the ways that their ancestral artifacts were obtained. This solution will meet the needs of communities by facilitating the dialogues of repatriating cultural artifacts, while returning virtual copies of those artifacts to those communities in the meantime. 

As part of the pilot project, I intend to target my own nation of Berens River First Nation (Saulteaux), by visiting the museums in Pennsylvania that hold the cultural patrimony of the nation. I will be completing 3D scans of the artifacts from Berens River while I continue to negotiate their repatriation, and assess the needs of storing those items in the community of origin. My family member has already commenced the dialogue, and this will be a continuation of relationship building between the museum and the community. It is a good starting point, because I understand the needs of my own community.

I will also approach the various nations surrounding my home in the city of Calgary, in the Treaty 7 area (Tsuut'ina Nation, Stoney Nakoda Nation (Bearspaw, Chiniki, Wesley), Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), Métis Nation Region 3; to assist them with 3D scans of artifacts held at local museums such as the Glenbow Museum, Royal Alberta Museum, Whyte Museum, University of Alberta Museum, Native Cultural Arts Museum and Museum of Aboriginal Peoples' Art and Artifacts.

As I expand the scope of this solution, I will target other nations found in central and northern Alberta, Canada, in the Treaty 6 and Treaty 8 territories, before moving into neighbouring provinces. 

The solution needs to be tailored to each nation with consultation and research of the locations of their cultural patrimony. It will require negotiations with museum professionals to gain access to their collections, and agreements to allow 3D scanning technologies to be utilized. It is a process of building relationships and trust between the institution housing the artifacts and the Indigenous community themselves, as a process of working towards repatriation, decolonization and reconciliation. This is a process that needs to be handled with the utmost respect and ceremony.

The returning of cultural artifacts, even if they are just scans, can have a great impact of the community of origin through the return of cultural knowledge and pride. In my own experience, I cannot describe the emotions that I felt when I first laid eyes on the photographs of the Berens River First Nation cultural artifacts taken by my cousin at museums in Pennsylvania. I felt an extreme ancestral connection to those items. I suspect that individuals from other nations would feel the same when meeting the cultural patrimony of their ancestors, which will continue to fuel the resurgence of cultural reconnection and pride in their indigeneity.

As an Indigenous archaeologist (M.A., B.Sc., B.A.), consultant, and curator with expertise in collections management, I am well positioned to deliver this solution. I have a good understanding of museum practices, traditional knowledge and relationship building with Indigenous communities. I am located in close proximity to all of the nations in the Treaty 7 area (Alberta, Canada), including Tsuut'ina Nation, Stoney Nakoda Nation (Bearspaw, Chiniki, Wesley), Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), and Métis Nation Region 3. Additionally, I am situated within a relatively close radius of the nations of the Treaty 6 territory (Alberta, Canada), and numerous other nations in neighbouring provinces. There are several cultural Institutions within close proximity, including the Royal Alberta Museum, University of Alberta Museum, Glenbow Museum, Heritage Park, Fort Calgary, Whyte Museum, Native Cultural Arts Museum and Museum of Aboriginal Peoples' Art and Artifacts. Collections housed further afield will also be approached when they are found to have artifacts belonging to those nations. 

I am a Saulteaux/Métis permit-holding archaeologist, artist, craftworker, traditional knowledge consultant, curator and educator. I have an M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Manitoba (2017), a B.Sc. in Archaeology, and a B.A. in Greek and Roman Studies (2011). I belong to Berens River First Nation in Manitoba, Canada and the Métis Nation of Alberta, in Alberta, Canada. However, I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, in the territories of the Blackfoot, Stoney Nakoda and Tsuut'ina peoples, with many Cree, Dene and Saulteaux people in close proximity. 

I am very active in the local Indigenous community through my work as a consultant, artist, curator and educator. Over time, I have fostered many relationships within the community. 

I am currently preparing to launch this solution and have not yet consulted with any communities, as I become well versed in the technology first. Once launched, I intend to work closely with communities to deliver solutions in a way that is tailormade for their community and based on their own specific concerns and challenges. I intend for this solution to incorporate ceremony and relationship building, as Indigenous nations and cultural institutions work together to hopefully achieve a common goal. My solution is something that can be implemented as a stepping stone to repatriation and if repatriation negotiations fail, there will be 3D scans for posterity.

I own the equipment required to make this solution a reality (a smaller scale 3D scanner and large-scale 3D scanner). However, I have not yet promoted this solution to any Indigenous nations or museums, as I am currently mastering the technology. This will be a pilot project, starting with my home community of Berens River First Nation and local Treaty 7 area nations, before moving to a larger scale solution. 

The primary barriers to the initial implementation of this solution are financial. Depending on the locations of cultural patrimony, I may be required to travel to cultural institutions to conduct negotiations and view collections and complete 3D scans. I will need to prove the concept of this solution to each nation that I approach, and those nations may not have the funding to be able to implement such a solution. 

I am a member or Berens River First Nation in Manitoba, Canada and the Métis Nation of Alberta. The pilot of the project will include Berens River First Nation and likely the Métis Nation of Alberta. As I grew up in Calgary, Alberta, I have been connected with the nations located within the Treaty 7 territory for my entire life. I am very active in the local Indigenous community through my work as a consultant, artist, curator and educator. Over time, I have fostered many relationships within the community. Additionally, I have worked as an archaeologist since 2011, with permit holding status in my province achieved in 2019. This work has opened up additional doors into Indigenous communities. 

Few museums have thus far implemented 3D scanning technology, as this technology only became available on the market at a much lower cost recently. It was previously very expensive and specialized equipment. I am trying to harness the market of 3D scanning artifacts while it is still in its infancy. I am not yet aware of any archaeological firms applying this technology, and it is also a service that I could market in the cultural resource management field. In my experience as an archaeologist in the province of Alberta, artifacts were documented through traditional means and seldom photographed. They were put in boxes and shipped to the Royal Alberta Museum for storage, where they will likely never see the light of day again. This is done without consultation with the possible descendant communities. 3D scanning of artifacts would preserve them for posterity for archaeological firms and scans could also be provided to the potential descendant communities for their own study and curatorial purposes. This would build trust with those communities, who are often purposely separated from their own cultural heritage. 

Impact Goal #1:

Create a greater sense of cultural connection within the targeted communities.

How: Through ceremony and returning 3D scans of cultural patrimony to the community, it will result in a renewed interest and pride in one's traditional culture. Culture is medicine and a source of healing from intergenerational traumas.

Impact Goal #2:

Create a stronger community through collaboration on a common goal.

How: Through consultation with members of the target nation and negotiations with cultural institutions, it will foster a sense of community as we work to achieve a tailormade solution to repatriation.

Impact Goal #3:

Empower Indigenous nations to ask for the return of what is rightfully theirs.

How: Consulting with affected nations on the best path forward to achieve repatriation. Inspiring them to make those demands with cultural institutions.

Target:

- By 2035, ensure that all Indigenous peoples have access to 3D scans of their cultural patrimony.

- By 2030, ensure that museums are complying with requests from Indigenous nations for the repatriation of cultural items. 

Target

11.4

Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

By reintroducing material culture into the communities from which they came, the impacts will be felt incrementally. While this may just initially provide a sense of relief and ceremony, it actually plants the seeds for much greater growth and healing. 

It is known that culture in itself is a form of medicine that leads to greater well-being. The return of cultural artifacts, repatriated physically or in the form of 3D scans, can lead to a greater sense of pride and foster a renewed connection and desire to learn about one's own culture and language. Through researching these items (designs, patterns, uses, histories, stories); and feeling the energies of the ancestors to whom the artifacts belonged; it may restore some of the traditional ways of making. The act of making and praticing ones culture builds community and tradition. It leads people towards healing from historical traumas. It leads them towards the red road and away from vices that are prevalent in Indigenous communities. It restores a sense of cultural pride and erases the shame that many have and still do experience with being Indigenous. By building self-esteem and reducing shame, it will reduce acts of self-harm. 

A 3D scan may seem like a simple technological advancement, but it actually has the power to rebuild Indigenous communities, who have suffered greatly due to forced assimilation. 

3D Laser Scanning is a non-contact, non-destructive technology that digitally captures the shape of physical objects using a line of laser light. 3D laser scanners create “point clouds” of data from the surface of an object.

A 3D scanner works with structured light using the principles of triangulation. The sensor projects a precise shifting fringe pattern across the part's surface, and two cameras capture the surface geometry based on the pattern distortion, calculating 3D coordinate measurements. The 3D scanner collects and processes millions of X-Y-Z data points into a "point cloud," creating a detailed digital twin of the object. Since the distance between the sensor, cameras, and angles is all known, the principle of triangulation is applied, producing accurate, reliable measurement results.

This image depicts how structured light 3D scanners also work with the principle of triangulation. A light source sits between two cameras set angled towards each other, projecting a heterodyne "fringe" stripe-like pattern onto the physical object's surface. The stripes change in size and direction during data collection. The sensing cameras observe the contrast along the stripes' edge and assign those pixels X-Y-Z coordinates, quickly collecting precise, crisp scan data containing very little texturing. The software then transforms the data points into visible data that comprise an accurate, digital replica of the physical part.

I am currently the only member of the team for this solution, but may need to hire additional team members to implement this solution on a larher scale. I am an Indigenous Two-Spirit Woman with a disability, and therefore, diversity, equity and inclusion is something that I am strongly committed to. I am trained to be acutely aware of my own biases so that they never interfere with decision making processes.

I pride myself on providing a respectful environment to all whom I encounter, and live by the concept of "All My Relations" and the 7 Generations Principle. 

All My Relations- I am in a relationship not only with family, friends and community, but also the animal and plant nations, and inanimate objects that contain a spirit. 

7 Generations Principle: I need to think about the 7 generations of ancestors that brought me to where I'm a today, and the 7 generations yet to come. If I think about how I will be affecting future generations, I will make better decisions today.

Sweetgrass Indigenous Services and Oji Creations

Key Activities:

-Indigenous consultation and research

- Decolonization analysis

- Archaeological Assessments

- Curatorial services

- Workshop facilitation

- Indigenous art and craft sales

- 3D scanning services

Key Resources:

- Website

- Connections with communities, Elders, cultural institutions

Segments (Beneficiary and Customer):

- Indigenous organizations/nations

- Non-Indigenous organizations/companies

- Schools

- Cultural Institutions

- Markets

Channels:

- Social media

- Website

- Word of mouth

Value Proposition:

Beneficiary value proposition: 3D scanning for repatriation

Impact measures: Number of clients, number of artifacts scanned

Customer value proposition: 3D scanning solutions for the cultural sector

Revenue: Grants, business revenues, micro-loans, fundraising, sales

Surplus: Marketing

Cost structure: Staff, online platform

Type of Intervention: Micro-loans

Sweetgrass Indigenous Services is a fee-for-service business and my subsidiary company Oji Creations is a market-intermediary company. Currently, my revenue streams are quite diversified due to the range of services that I provide and I am able to cover all of my expenses and provide a salary for myself. 

An initial grant from SOLVE would provide the initial support needed to implement my solution and get it off the ground. I will work with communities on fundraising efforts to draw a revenue for 3D scanning efforts and repatriation negotiations through government funding, grants and community investments. It should become a financially-sustaining investment if I am able to prove the technology to Indigenous communities, cultural institutions and cultural resource management companies. 

I have not yet pitched this solution elsewhere and have not yet piloted the project. I was able to self-fund the equipment through my other business endeavours with Sweetgrass Indigenous Services and Oji Creations.