Rethinking Repatriation and Curation in Newfoundland

Abstract

Since 2004, “Back on Track” has been produced by the Research Centre for Music, Media, and Place at Memorial University, partly in response to public requests for access to the university’s archival collections. It aims to recover historically and culturally significant documents for public use; augment cultural content in the schools; promote and disseminate the culture of the province and beyond to local, national, and international audiences; stimulate new artistic work that builds on earlier traditions; and contribute to policy development relating to cultural diversity. This chapter considers processes of collaboration, strategies of representation, and the construction of present and future relationships to the past through music. Specifically in relation to Indigenous content in the series, the chapter demonstrates how curated collections, when produced in collaboration with communities and individuals, not only repatriate audio recordings, but also amplify local histories and both personal and collective memories.