Monday, July 7, 2014

Star Trek and Plundering the Ancients…


There has been a lot of news recently about the link between the looting of our heritage resources and criminal enterprises (see links below). This of course, is nothing new to the many of us that have been involved (sometimes putting life-n-limb in “Harm’s Way”) with the protection of our patrimony.  The collectors driving the illegal black market may think they are involved in a victimless crime: that is delusional, self-serving… well, seems like rationalization to me. So, to help with the recovery and repatriation I think we should standup and be counted by tweeting on Twitter at: #bringbackourartifacts (on 2nd thought, based on what continues in Nigeria, this may not be the-way-to-go for positive results).

In about 3-months (October 7th) Lucinda Schroeder’s next book (Plunder of the Ancients) is due to be released. Some might recall Cindy’s first work, Hunt for Justice: it chronicled her undercover operations with wayward big game hunting guides in Alaska (she did some nice work throughout her career with US Fish & Wildlife Service). I’m looking forward to reading her memories regarding a couple of our multi-agency covert ops (East/West & “Operation Cooperation”), that looked into the trafficking of ancient ethnographic art and the darker side: the backroom illegal trade in cultural & sacred objects. The latter of these operations became fairly well-known locally as it involved individuals supplying & trafficking sensitive objects.  

Ya know, when I’m asked which ARPA Task Force* or National Park Service (NPS) Resources Protection Unit operation was the most successful, I often have to think about it for awhile. Of course, I’m inclined to think of the Native American Graves Protection & Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) case that started as an illegal feather trading investigation and ended up as the first NAGPRA jury trial and conviction that was appealed up through the 10th Circuit to the U.S. Supreme Court (conviction stood). However, I truly believe that we reached-out and spread-the-word to by far the most people with a simple letter (or two):  Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) is an example of how long journeys start with small-steps.

It began in the latter part of 1992, while watching an episode of Star Trek: TNG (possibly Season 6 episode 7’s “Rascals”).  Our son, Justin, was nine at the time and it was our custom to pop some corn and watch a new episode on the Saturday’s that I was at home (unfortunately, not that often as I recall). In previous seasons and episodes, Captain Jean Luc Picard’s character had been shown to have a strong interest in archaeology, even delivering a keynote address at a scientific conference on the subject. At the beginning of this story’s hour Capt. Picard was showing-off some artifacts he had “acquired” from a cave while on shore leave. That didn’t “sit-right” with this Deputy ARPA Task Force Coordinator. It prompted a letter (on Task Force letterhead) asking for some behavioral changes by the illustrious captain of the Starship Enterprise. Due to the results I’m sure that others where also watching & writing...
Capt. Picard (right) and his mentor,
archaeologist Galen.
Within a short while there was an episode where Capt. Picard mentioned the desire to protect our heritage resources (artifacts). It prompted another letter: this one on NPS letterhead and signed by our Regional Director (John E. Cook) that more-or-less said: way-to-go Enterprise. This was followed by multiple installments where Jean Luc took an active role in tracking down intergalactic black market artifact smugglers, and helping to assist & answer archaeological research questions that we haven't evolved to even think of to ask in the late 20th Century. In fact, the writers brought up his youthful passion for the science of archaeology to the point that he once had to decide between that academic endeavor or a career with Star Fleet (certainly struck a chord with me: historian/archeologist turned NPS Ranger/Special Agent). The stories continued to unfold in very positive directions, and it was rumored that Star Trek: TNG was eventually recognized by the Society for American Archaeology with a special award. I’ve been unable to corroborate that.
One thing I do believe is true: we have Gene Roddenberry# and his creative heirs to thank for seeing a great opportunity to educate “the next generation” and following through with it. Yep, education, that's-the-ticket...           


 
Artifact Show - Santa Fe, New Mexico
*- The Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) Task Force was an interagency effort based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the early 1990’s. Agencies initially involved were the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and USDA Forest Service. Its’ members eventually expanded and included efforts also with a variety of other agencies from the Departments of Interior, Justice, and Treasury.

#- As a matter of full disclosure, my spouse’s (Meme) family has a Roddenberry connection: her maternal family was O’Hara and lived in El Paso, Texas. In the 1920’s the Roddenberry & O’Hara families moved from El Paso to Los Angeles at the same time. Her Aunt Dorothy was the same age as Gene and they went to L.A. Franklin High School together.

1 comment: