to Native communities at a much faster rate than the time frame of a typical consultation

end-product, such as an exhibition or publication.

                          Wiki Model Issues and Solutions

       As with any form of technology, there are issues in the wiki's approach to

communication, and its corresponding ability to facilitate collaborative projects. While

implementing my project, I recognized that partnerships are, first and foremost, about

developing professional relationships. Several issues arose during the project that

derived from different aspects of museum/Native community relationships. The project

clarified the limitations of digital communication for building partnerships. It also

highlighted the challenges of balancing increased community agency with maintaining

the integrity of existing museum records. Another issue in the project is the verification

of the wiki contributor's Native background, in order to prevent non-Native contributors

from adding erroneous information to the wiki. Lastly, there is the question of how

multiple community voices should be represented in the end-product databases. All of

these issues need careful consideration by museums that may consider using the wiki

model for building collections partnerships.

Building a Partnership

       It became clear to me throughout this project that wiki technology cannot replace

face-to-face human interaction. Web 2.0 tools assist in faster communication, but offer

very little for building initial rapport with Native communities. Forming professional

relationships and developing trust are both key to building partnerships. Museum

collaboration with Native communities initially requires more personal interaction than

exchanging email messages. Initial on-site visits to the Seminole reservation and

telephone conversations with the staff of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki became essential forms of