Cultural heritage and conservation intersected at a recent meeting between Tribal Nations and researchers from the Prairie Research Institute.
“This meeting was an important opportunity to listen and learn from descendant Tribal Nations and open a dialogue exploring how PRI can support the priorities, research interests, and sovereignty of Tribal Nations ,” Elizabeth Watts Malouchos, head of Collaborative Research Engagement at the Illinois State Archaeological Survey and the meeting’s organizer.
Held at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the meeting focused on sharing information about freshwater mussels research at the Illinois Natural History Survey, including its extensive mollusk collection and ongoing mussel monitoring projects. Tribal representatives from the Ho-Chunk Nation, Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, and Shawnee Tribe joined researchers from INHS and ISAS to discuss the cultural significance of mussels, priorities for conservation and preservation, and opportunities for collaboration.
Freshwater mussels have long been important to many Tribal Nations as sources of food, tools, and materials. They also play a key ecological role as indicators of water quality and overall ecosystem health.
Attendees also heard presentations from ISAS researchers on modeling efforts to identify potential cultural and archaeological sites most at risk from flooding and urban development, as well as from Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma mussel technician Mara Hamilton on their program propagating and reintroducing freshwater mussels.
The meeting was supported by a grant awarded to ISAS in 2024 through U. of I. Chancellor Robert Jones’ Call to Action Research Program, which annually funds cross-disciplinary research and efforts to address systemic bias and social injustice.
This material is based upon work supported by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor’s Call to Action Research Program. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, the Chancellor, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, or The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
The Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides scientific expertise and transformative research to the people of Illinois and beyond. PRI is home to the five state scientific surveys: the Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois State Water Survey, and Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.