Family History and Healing with the Hebron Family Archaeology Project - Michelle Davies, Beverly Hunter & Harriet E (Rutie) Lampe

Hebron is a highly significant place for Labrador Inuit. Formerly the most northern community in Labrador, it was home to over 60 families before the community was closed in 1959 by the provincial government, and its’ residents forced to relocate further south. Decades later, people from Hebron and their descendants still feel the traumatic effects of relocation. Families and communities in Nunatsiavut have expressed interest in seeing research conducted at Hebron, including recording the locations of family houses and fishing camps, as well as capturing stories and memories of Hebron elders. Since 2016, research into family histories has taken place through the Hebron Family Archaeology Project, which has been funded by the joint research project between the Nunatsiavut Government and Memorial University called Tradition and Transition among the Labrador Inuit. While much of the research has taken place through an archaeological lens, it has also provided an opportunity for land-based healing as Mental Health workers have joined families on research trips to Hebron. This paper will present the process of conducting research into family histories at Hebron, the opportunities it has provided for personal healing, and the results and future plans for the project.