00:00.00 heritagevoices And okay, so getting back from our break I Want to hear more about this this community engagement efforts and and the projects that that came out of it that you just mentioned and. 00:12.87 Eric Pinto Yeah, so one of the first community-based projects I worked on was ah focused on trailmarker trees and ah the booter center was approached by our office of sustainability. Um, and the landscape company that. Maintains the grounds here at wash you and yeah I wasnt unfamiliar with exactly what was happening and being proposed and ah with when it came to this project because you know I kind of heard like kind of like you know. Ah, locals kind of stories about like you know trailmarker trees being bent and stuff and so I actually had to do my own personal research on this and you know, ah, there's limited research but there have been people who focus on it and for folks that don't know it was these trees. Were specific. Tree species were selected by native people a long time ago and they were intentionally bent to point towards directions maybe to ah sacred sites resources maybe easier access ways through. Places such as like maybe rivers creeks you know et cetera and so I had to do that research first in order to understand exactly what chairmarker trees were and what direction this? What how this tree will be planted and um, ah. 01:38.81 Eric Pinto Be seen here at wasu so with partnership with that with the office sustainability and ah the the landscape company. Um, we thought hey let's work with the ah local native community members. We want to create focus groups. Ah. And let them know like hey we received. Ah ah ah, grafted tree from ah from an arborist from atthans illinois and he stewarded this mother tree the mother tree and. Ah, that was an identify trail marker tree that dates back to 1730 and so that mother tree unfortunately fell down during a storm and ah the arborists took clippings of that of the from the tree. And and save that and our landscape one of our landscape managers was actually able to bring some of those clippings to washoe and so we ah yeah, our goal was to plant that grafted tree. Um, with that tree clipping um network with the local native crew members on you know how that should be done um because we view plants and animals and the elements in our environment as our relatives so we want to have a welcoming um of that tree into into the new place that will be planted at. 03:09.56 Eric Pinto And so we also thought about hey like we just don't only want to leave the tree here like we got to make sure that you know we're taking care of it. How do we make this tree feel more comfortable. How do we? Also like you know, maybe um, bring this project as a more educational opportunity to highlight native. Um, connections to plants and how plants were viewed and and utilized so we've had focus groups on talking about? Yes,, Let's plant the tree and we had ah ah like a planting Ceremony. You would want to say to welcome that tree and then we. Our next steps were then to ah incorporate native plants that um you know have kind of some type of relationship and and significance to native people and those plants would be ah would also have display colors that would be representative of ah the Medicine Wheel. Because we always touch back On. You know our health and well-being um in connections to the teachings of like the 4 directions and the medicine wheel so we thought hey let's incorporate plants that might display colors like that and then ah and we also thought about kind of having conversations about um. 04:26.77 Eric Pinto You know is this tree going to be bit you know because that was kind of like the very iconic ah feature of Trail Market trees is that they are intentionally bent now some trees like they would have like this double ninety degree bend other trees that have this nice great. You know bend and. 04:31.71 heritagevoices Um. 04:45.34 Eric Pinto Um, and so we thought about you know should this tree be been. So we're in this place where that's still we have time to really consider that ah you know working with local native community trying to work ah reach out to ah tribes with ancestral connections this area ah get their thoughts and opinions. On this. So you know some community members here though like they've already kind of said like you know if we were to bend the street like what direction should we been in and we thought you know maybe this should be pointed towards the east and so the the justification was is that because St Louis has the arch. 05:21.22 heritagevoices So. 05:22.59 Eric Pinto This was like the big one. So ah gateway to the west. So we said like you know you know, maybe we point this towards the East you know to kind of you know, decolonize that that whole mindset and and then also too We you know many tribes that have many ah teachings. 05:34.69 heritagevoices Huh oh. 05:41.13 Eric Pinto You know as far as like directions go so the east is very significant to many tribes with you know? ah you know new day. Ah new life birth you know things like that. So ah, there's ah and then we also pointing towards the east direction. We also point towards the great rivers. Such as the Mississippi and where Missouri is at where that confluences and we know there's so much history. You know with ah with that you know, especially during that mississipian period and you saw so much trading going on at cohokia. So there's that aspect and also to the east direction point stores from where the. 06:00.55 heritagevoices Um. 06:19.15 Eric Pinto The mother tree was that you know in Illinois so ah, but you know those are still conversations that you know we're still having and you know we're going to have a meeting here soon. Actually, in fact I think next week and we're going to talk about ah informational panels and. How to ah create like a website that create information for people to go to learn more about trailmarker trees and this specific trailmarker tree and its story and origins and everything. So yeah, so that was like the first like community-based projects I really worked on and um, really networking with the local native community and get them involved. And it's been building ever since. So yeah. 06:58.36 heritagevoices Yeah, okay, so um, I want to play a little bit of Devil's you know Devil's advocate here. Um, and. Um, obviously I know how social work and you know health and well-being and all of those things um tie into heritage and archeology and history and all of those things. Um, but ah, you know let's say I don't ah how you know how how is this all tied to social work like what you're talking about here I mean how how is this part of a ah social work program. 07:39.30 Eric Pinto Yeah, so I think for us, it's kind of goes back to what I was saying about educating the community creating awareness because native people have been dealing with you know, ah assimilation genocide. Ah, erasure and it still exists Today. You know in all different in all different forms. So um I think these are different ways that fight against that within our own community. Um, as far as social work as a whole you know, um, you know I'm trying to relate it to like archeology specifically like I can kind of say like you know for us, it's ah you know reconnecting? Um, those people those tribes that were pushed out from their ancestral homelands. You know such as like the osage nation so they have very strong claims to hear and so it's. 08:32.40 Eric Pinto Connecting connecting their people with areas here. Um you know and it could be. You know, just notifying them and like their Tippo office and saying like hey there's this new development that's going on but we're aware that you know there's ah sites here. Um, that might need to be. You know, checked out and we we kind of understand now the process and you know we're not archaes or social workers so actually is a great opportunity for us to learn of ah you know having to connect with like the state historic preservation office and local archaeologists and knowing like what are these processes and and protocols that are needed. Um. You know to do like certain surveys or you know reporting and such but it kind of goes back to just I think ah, yeah, reconnecting people and protecting a lot of these different sites and um, ah. You know, protecting like artifacts and you know that might be significant to to people and even possibly you know burial ah burials you know, remains and and returning those remains or however, ah, the tribes may see fit. Um there's just so much history here in St Louis that you know what it comes down to It's really serving the people and making sure that we're looking after um, you know our people's health and well-being and you know we're looking into the future as well. Too. You know we oftentimes you know, look at like kind of like the teachings of the 7 generations. You know it's you know everything. 09:58.36 Eric Pinto You know I think a modern society like we're looking at like what's happening like right now and we look at the immediate problem and and treat it or fix it? Um, but we're not looking ahead and you know looking at like what are the like the root issues and you know this is like even like 1 conversation. We kind of get into when it comes to social work and we have a very. You know, ah world renowned um med school medical school of you know for a lot of you know people who want to become doctors or go into other health professions and stuff you know I just gave a presentation and it kind of touched on those things on you know, kind of like indigenous health and wellness and ah versus like kind of like western medicine. Um. 10:34.26 heritagevoices And. 10:37.00 Eric Pinto And it kind of those things kind of intertie and stuff and ah but as I mentioned like you know everything is interconnected and we want to make sure that ultimately you know things are being taken care of appropriately and done the right way so that way things aren't Lost. So. F. 10:56.39 heritagevoices Um, yeah, um, okay, so first um I I didn't say hi specifically by name. Um, but I do want to say hi to to Dr Seth Grooms ah for connecting us. Um, and for um. Ah, showing how you know social work can really tie into all of these ah different things that we were talking about in our episode. Um so hi stuff. Um, but the the other thing that I wanted to say is so when you and I first um, talked a couple months ago. Um, you mentioned also some of the examples of some of the different types of projects that your students were working on. Um and it was really interesting because you know obviously a lot of them really tied into some um, really hot-button topics in the anthropology world right now. Like for example, boarding schools. Um, so can you could you talk about? Maybe some of the different areas. Um that some of your students are focusing on um and and some of the yeah, just some of the work that they're doing. 12:08.60 Eric Pinto Yeah, let me ah let me think about that real quick ah trying to think like specific store your examples like some of those what some students might be going into. 12:17.61 heritagevoices So. 12:25.62 Eric Pinto Do you remember? why? what? that conversation was sure remember. 12:29.61 heritagevoices I Remember we talked about boarding schools and I remember there was like ah there was another one that I was like oh that is super tied in and I'm trying to think of what it was because naturally I didn't take notes. Um, ah. 12:41.57 Eric Pinto Um. 12:45.16 heritagevoices Was it something related to standing rock or um. 12:53.12 Eric Pinto Yeah I'm trying to remember like specific examples like of like what the students kind of have done. Ah. 12:57.88 heritagevoices Yeah, because I remember you were like oh if it's this topic I Could recommend you to this student and if it was this topic I Could recommend you did that student I can also ask you a different question if you'd rather. 13:10.55 Eric Pinto Yeah, yeah, maybe yeah, let's move on to another question and maybe it might it might lead. Yeah, maybe that might stir up some some I'll keep that question back of my head and ah yeah, maybe that might oh they're talking about other stuff might might stir it up. So. 13:15.86 heritagevoices So okay, so. 13:28.49 heritagevoices Okay, let's see where do we want to go? Um, what. 13:28.69 Eric Pinto Knows. 13:41.31 heritagevoices Let's see we have a segment and a little bit. Um is there something that you're thinking of that you especially want to get to I mean other than we'll save the recruitment plug for the end. 13:53.78 Eric Pinto Oh you know what I can kind of elaborate a little bit more on like that connection of like social work and like a prime example of like protecting the land and artifacts and things here like give it like a more specific example. So yeah, do we do? We need a weight. 14:07.89 heritagevoices Awesome. Okay, you do I was gonna say do you need me to retroduce that then is that not a student thing. Okay, okay, okay, um so let's see how should I ask you that? um. 14:14.92 Eric Pinto Yeah, that's not a student thing that's been yeah. 14:24.11 Eric Pinto Are do I just kind of yeah we're like yeah it it be kind of I guess a followup question to what you originally asked or something like like maybe a specific example in St Louis or something. So yeah. 14:25.56 heritagevoices Third. 14:32.11 heritagevoices Um, right? Okay, okay, um so Chris obviously we're cutting all that. Um, okay, yeah, so can you give? um. Ah, like a specific example within St Louis of of how that works or a project. 14:51.89 Eric Pinto Yeah, yeah, so ah, I've had the fortunate opportunity to meet local archeologists in the area and you know one cool thing was is that I got to see some places and know about places ah and sites. Um, you know that aren't far from home that I didn't even know about. But really when you think about it you know native people have been all over the slan for thousands of years so it shouldn't be really surprising but um, you know I got to meet a gentleman. Ah Mark Leachch he has a few publications. Ah. And it's focused on um, a couple sites out in ah what we call west county it's ah west of downtown St Louis and the suburbs of St Louis County and ah you know one side is ah Blake mountain the other is Dam year site and you know those have ah relations relationships to ah cohokia. Um, you know during that mississipian period. Ah but Chester field actually ah has been booming with you know people moving into the area new developments with. You know new Malls Shops Restaurants Bars you know you name it like that place is just you know, booming all over ah but you know with that boom. It's come. It's ah threatening you know some of those sites and ah. 16:19.47 Eric Pinto Recently? Ah, ah and residential ah company called Mcbride homes. They purchase a area near ah Blake mound and ah blake mount is as you you can kind of imagine is it's a mound. No surprise there and ah that. Bride holmes a purchase area near Blake Mount so there's definitely some worry about what could happen to that site. You know, um, could there be potential damage or you know who knows um I've even received emails actually from local residents saying that. Ah, they're even concerned because they know that like looters or people who are like you know, artifact collectors like they're going into. You know the disturbed ground that you know the construction crew is going through and um and rooting up and they're trying to find like artifacts and stuff and um. And I got to visit Blake mound mark took me out there and it was oh my gosh you you would. You wouldn't think like there's a lot there but there's so much you know it's covered with you know there's there's woods around there and. Ah, brush. But really, you can see like how significant this place was and there's even like a cave that's underneath the mound and he was kind of sharing. You know some insight about you know that story there with the cave and how important that that place may be um and unfortunately they can't really get too far into the cave. Ah. 17:50.82 Eric Pinto I Guess ah you know due to like soil erosion and ah water carrying dirt and other debris. It's kind of blocked up the the cave entrance pretty good. So he's actually working with a local high school robotics team on creating like a spider robot to go deeper into the cave. 18:06.54 heritagevoices Well I. 18:08.75 Eric Pinto Um I think he even mentioned he's even blocked by he thinks there's a skunk or some or some type of critter back there as well. Um, but yes, so ah, with that site in the in the new developments have been happening out there. You know Mark reach out to me and. 18:11.95 heritagevoices Oh. 18:24.75 Eric Pinto Ah, he said like hey we're going to go speak in front of the Chesterfield City Council and it was him and myself and another local archaeologist Joe Harl who's done a lot of amazing work here in St Louis um and so we. 18:29.70 heritagevoices So. 18:41.42 Eric Pinto Each brought her own perspective on you know what's happening here in Chesterfield and how can the city make sure to you know, be careful with these new developments and ah and be more aware of protecting native american sites. So you know obviously for them. They're coming for Mark and Joe they're coming at it from a more archeological perspective. Um, as for myself, you know I bring that native voice and you know I grew up here in the area and I can really share like how important you know that. Those types of things are to our people and even though I'm not connected to you know let's say like the osage you know I'm I'm still going to be an advocate for to them because you know there there are relatives and stuff and and also too I kind of I kind of look at it this way you know? ah. 19:15.72 heritagevoices So. 19:32.85 Eric Pinto You know the Choctaw people there were also you could say like mountain builders as well too. So You know who knows like we're connecting that type of way that dates back to that Mississippian period. Um, So there's just like a lot of passion that goes behind you know, protecting these sites here and as I mentioned you know there's just so the the non-nated population is very high here and they're just not educated or informed about you know these types of things and we're just trying to prevent. You know those types of. Forms of erasure and you know the the importance of artifacts and sites just disappearing and not being returned to our people or being protected. So yeah. 20:12.65 heritagevoices Right? And obviously all of the the impacts that that has on on a person's health and well-being at all it all ties together. Um, exactly all right? Well we are already at our second breakpoint. 20:17.62 Eric Pinto Bright right? exactly. 20:29.24 heritagevoices Um, but I'm excited to to come back in a minute and dive right back in.