The importance of social history in Archaeology

I have recently completed a small project undertaken during Archaeology Southwest's field school in Mule Creek, New Mexico. I interviewed local residents with regard to artifacts they may have found, sites they might know about and their general opinion of Preservation Archaeology. Some important questions arose. One question was asked by a person in the field school. He wanted to know my opinion of the people I was studying and their practice of collection of surface artifacts. That's a tough question with a very long answer.I will address a few of the things that I encountered and how I feel about them.

I like "hunting" artifacts and keep them when I find them. 

Where are these artifacts being found? On private land that belongs to the person who found them? I'd like to think, in a perfect world, that the information and the artifacts would be shared with someone in the Archaeology community. Educating people on the importance of this is vital to the historical record. Are they taking artifacts from public land? We all know that's just breaking the law, plain and simple. Did it happen before laws were put into effect to stop this behavior?  I don't think anything we can do today will change what happened in the past, unless their record keeping was amazing and we have the provenance of said artifact. Thus, the importance of oral history in this case.

It's just a hobby. I draw the line at digging burials.

While I am pleased to hear that the person making this statement would not consider disturbing a burial, a hobbyist does not an Archaeologist make. It is important to make friends in the community, so gut reactions need to take a backseat at times. Changing opinions can sometimes take a very long time. Walk gently....

How do you feel when these people tell you stories?

I tend to look at it with gratitude. These people are telling me stories from the past. They have decided that I am worthy to hear these stories and while I may not agree with everything that they tell me, I believe in their right to tell it and my right to hear it. If it helps us to understand things that have happened in the past, it can't be all bad.

I was also asked-

How can you change people's opinions that are decades old?

Simple. Education. Education of the next generation.Many people learn from their children (and grandchildren). Let's see if we can take a non-combative approach to changing the mindset that artifacts are meant to be taken and hoarded, or worse, sold to the highest bidder on ebay. Looking to the young to change old attitudes is the way of this country, is it not?