What You Do and How We Think

Traditional cultural properties were the subject of a National Register Bulletin, Bulletin 38, that was issued by the National Park Service in 1990. In the three years since it was issued, both the Bulletin and its subject matter have been the focal points of considerable discussion and debate in the preservation community. This special issue of CRM presents several perspectives on the debate. To begin with a definition—a “traditional cultural property” is a property, a place, that is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places because of its association with cultural practices and beliefs that are (1) rooted in the history of a community, and (2) are important to maintaining the continuity of that community’s traditional beliefs and practices. Examples of places important to maintaining the traditional beliefs of a community are the vision quest sites important to many Indian tribes of the northern plains and the Sandia sandbars, important to maintaining the ceremonial practices of the people of Sandia Pueblo. Examples of places important to the continuation of traditional subsistence practices include the special sedge fields from which Pomo basketmakers gather the materials they need to continue their basket making traditions, and the habitat ranges of birds, fish, turtles, and other animals whose continued presence and use are essential to continue on-going cultural traditions. (Parker—continued on page 3)