Archaeology and decolonization (original) (raw)
Decolonizing Archaeological Thought in South America
Decolonizing archaeological thought in South America happens through three paths: (a) a critical approach to the ways archaeology contributes to coloniality, (b) a criticism of the mechanisms by which coloniality informs archaeology, and (c) a varied exposure of archaeology to subaltern (that is, non-hegemonic and counter-hegemonic) knowledge. These three paths are sometimes taken together and sometimes alone, and the diverse pieces of thought reviewed herein provide examples of each. South America as a locus for the enunciation of archaeological theory opens the epistemic range of the discipline to include indigenous and African-descendant communities' theories of history and materiality. Ongoing research prefigures future trends in decolonizing archaeological thought around issues of land, memory, and knowledge.
Virtual Forum: Archaeology and Decolonization
Archaeologies-journal of The World Archaeological Congress, 2007
In this forum, patiently achieved through months of cyber-work, participants Nayanjot Lahiri (India), Nick Shepherd (South Africa), Joe Watkins (USA) and Larry Zimmerman (USA), plus the two editors of Arqueología Suramericana, Alejandro Haber (Argentina) and Cristóbal Gnecco (Colombia), discuss the topic of archaeology and decolonization. Nayanjot Lahiri teaches archaeology in her capacity as Professor at the Department of History, University of Delhi. Her books include Finding Forgotten Cities: How the Indus Civilization was Discovered (2005) and The Archaeology of Indian Trade Routes (1992). She has edited The Decline and Fall of the Indus Civilization (2000) and an issue of World Archaeology entitled The Archaeology of Hinduism (2004). Nick Shepherd is a senior lecturer in the Center for African Studies at the University of Cape Town, where he convenes the program in public culture in Africa. He sits on the executive committee of the World Archaeological Congress, and is co-editor of the journal Archaeologies: Journal of the World Archaeological Congress. In 2004 he was based at Harvard University as a Mandela Fellow. He has published widely on issues of archaeology and society in Africa, and on issues of public history and heritage. Joe Watkins is Choctaw Indian and archaeologist Joe Watkins is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of New Mexico. He is 1/2 Choctaw Indian by blood, and has been involved in archaeology for more than thirty-five years. He received his Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma and his Master’s of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Anthropology from Southern Methodist University, where his doctorate examined archaeologists’ responses to questionnaire scenarios concerning their perceptions of American Indian issues. His current study interests include the ethical practice of anthropology and the study of anthropology’s relationships with descendant communities and Aboriginal populations, and he has published numerous articles on these topics. His first book Indigenous Archaeology: American Indian Values and Scientific Practice (AltaMira Press, 2000) examined the relationships between American Indians and archaeologists and is in its second printing His latest book, Reclaiming Physical Heritage: Repatriation and Sacred Sites (Chelsea House Publishers 2005) is aimed toward creating an awareness of Native American issues among high school students. Larry J. Zimmerman is Professor of Anthropology and Museum Studies and Public Scholar of Native American Representation at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. He is Vice President of the World Archaeological Congress. He also has served WAC as its Executive Secretary and as the organizer of the first WAC Inter-Congress on Archaeological Ethics and the Treatment of the Dead. His research interests include the archaeology of the North American Plains, contemporary American Indian issues, and his current project examining the archaeology of homelessness. Partiellement réalisé grâce à des mois de travail sur Internet, ce forum a impliqué la participation de Nayanjot Lahiri (Inde), Nick Shepherd (Afrique du Sud), Joe Watkins (États-Unis) et Larry Zimmerman (États-Unis), en plus de deux éditeurs de Arqueología Suramericana, Alejandro Haber (Argentine) et Cristóbal Gnecco (Colombie). Dans cette perspective, les discussions et échanges de points de vue étaient amples. Nayanjot Lahiri enseigne à l’Université de Delhi. Parmi les livres qu’elle a publiés, on retrouve Finding Forgotten Cities: How the Indus Civilization was Discovered (2005) et The Archaeology of Indian Trade Routes (1992). Elle a édité le livre The Decline and Fall of the Indus Civilization (2000) et une publication du World Archaeology intitulée The Archaeology of Hinduism (2004). Nick Shepherd est professeur au Centre d’études africaines de l’Université de Cape Town, où il organise un programme public sur la culture africaine. Il est sur le comité exécutif du Congrès mondial de l’archéologie et coéditeur du journal Archaeologies : Journal of the World Archaeological Congress. En 2004, il était basé à l’Université Harvard comme boursier Mandela. Il a largement publié sur les questions de l’archéologie et de la société africaine et sur des questions d’histoire publique et du patrimoine. Joe Watkins est professeur associé en anthropologie à l’Université du Nouveau-Mexique. Métis avec un parent amérindien Choctaw, Watkins a été impliqué en archéologie depuis plus de 35 ans. Il a une maîtrise et un doctorat en anthropologie de l’Université Sud-Méthodiste. Son doctorat était basé sur l’examen de réponses d’archéologues au sujet de scénarios traitant de la perception sur les questions relatives aux amérindiens. Aujourd’hui, son sujet principal de recherche est la pratique étique de l’anthropologie et l’étude des relations anthropologiques avec les populations aborigènes, thème sur lequel il a publié plusieurs articles. Son premier livre, Indigenous Archaeology: American Indian Values and Scientific Practice (AltaMira Press, 2000), examine les relations entre les amérindiens et les archéologues et en est à sa seconde réimpression. Son dernier livre, Reclaiming Physical Heritage: Repatriation and Sacred Sites (Chelsea House Publishers 2005), a pour objectif de porter l’attention des étudiants de niveau du secondaire sur les questions concernant les amérindiens. Larry J. Zimmerman est professeur d’anthropologie et attaché au Museum Studies and Public Scholar of Native American à Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis et au Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. Il est vice-président du Congrès mondial de l’archéologie. Il a aussi servit le CMA comme secrétaire exécutif et comme organisateur du premier inter-congrès du CMA qui portait sur l’archéologie éthique et le traitement de la mort. Ses intérêts de recherche incluent l’archéologie des plaines nord-américaines, les questions concernant les amérindiens d’aujourd’hui et son projet actuel concerne l’archéologie du phénomène des sans-abri. En este foro, pacientemente logrado en meses de trabajo cibernético, participan Nayanjot Lahiri (India), Nick Shepherd (Sud Africa), Joe Watkins (USA) y Larry Zimmerman (USA), más los dos editores de Arqueología Suramericana, Alejandro Haber (Argentina) y Cristóbal Gnecco (Colombia). Es, por lo tanto, bastante amplio el espectro de contextos de discusión y puntos de vista. Nayanjot Lahiri enseña arqueología desde su cargo de Profesora del Departamenmto de Historia de la Universidad de Delhi. Sus libros incluyen “Finding Forgotten Cities: How the Indus Civilization was Discovered” (2005) y “The Archaeology of Indian Trade Routes” (1992). Ha editado “The Decline and Fall of the Indus Civilization” (2000) y un número de World Archaeology titulado The Archaeology of Hinduism (2004). Nick Shepherd es profesor titular en el Centro de Estudios Africanos de la Universidad de Cape Town, donde dirije el programa de cultura pública en Africa. Es miembro del comité ejecutivo del Congreso Mundial de Arqueología, y es co-editor de la revista Archaeologies: Journal of the World Archaeological Congress. En el año 2004, estuvo en la Universidad de Harvard con la Beca Mandela. Ha publicado extensamente en temas de arqueología y sociedad en Africa, y en cuestiones de historia pública y patrimonio. Joe Watkins es indígena Choctaw y arqueólogo. Joe Watkins es Profesor Asociado de Antropología en la Universidad de New Mexico. Es mitad indígena Choctaw de sangre, y ha estado relacionado con la arqueología por más de treinta y cinco años. recibió su título de Bachelor’s of Arts en Antropología en la Universidad de Oklahoma y sus títulos de Master’s of Arts y Doctor en Filosofía en Antropología en la Universidad Metodista del Sur, su tesis doctoral indagó sobre las respuestas de los arqueólogos/as a cuestionarios sobre escenarios acerca de sus percepciones de las problemáticas de los aborígenes norteamericanos. Sus intereses de estudio actuales incluyen las prácticas éticas de la antropología y el estudio de las relaciones de ésta con las comunidades descendientes y las poblaciones aborígenes, ha publicado numerosos artículos sobre esos temas. Su primer libro “Indigenous Archaeology: American Indian Values and Scientific Practice” (AltaMira Press, 2000) examinó las relaciones entre los Aborígenes norteamericanos y los arqueólogos y está en su segunda impresión. Su libro más reciente, “Reclaiming Physical Heritage: Repatriation and Sacred Sites” (Chelsea House Publishers 2005) está dirigido a crear conciencia de las problemáticas de los indígenas de norteamérica en los estudiantes de bachillerato. Larry J. Zimmerman es Profesor de Antropología y Estudios sobre Museos e intelectual público de representación de nativos norteamericanos en la Universidad de Indiana, en la Universidad de Purdue, Indianapolis y en el Museo Eiteljorg de Indígenas norteamericanos y Arte Occidental. Es Vice-Presidente del WAC. También ha servido como su Secretario Ejecutivo y fue organizador del Inter Congreso del WAC sobre Etica Arqueológica y Tratamiento de los muertos. Sus intereses de investigación incluyen la arqueología de las llanuras de Norteamérica y asuntos sobre los indígenas norteamericanos contemporáneos. Su proyecto de investigación actual examina la arqueología de las personas sin hogar.
Upon being awarded the Peter Ucko Memorial Award: Honourable President Mizoguchi of WAC, the distinguished committee for the Peter Ucko Memorial Award and Lecture, honoured guests and fellow archaeologists: It is a great pleasure to be able to share with you some thoughts and concerns about decolonizing archaeological practice. I will start with a short review of some engrained colonial assumptions in archaeological practice at a global level along with recognition of how change is transforming archaeological practice. I then turn to how Africanists are struggling to decolonize archaeological practice in a part of the world where colonial ways of doing and thinking are deeply entrenched. I will conclude by sharing several case studies from research in Africa that capture what a group of scholars are now calling Archaeologies of Listening—a rubric that privileges knowledge held by people in communities in which we work. The greater majority of you practice archaeology in other parts of the world and may not be familiar with the concerns that have arisen in Africa over issues of inclusion of indigenous communities as well as interpretative stances taken in representing the African past. Given these circumstances, I will focus my discussion on practical examples that illustrate how we are attempting to decolonize archaeological practice and heritage studies in Africa.
Decolonizing/Indigenous Archaeology: A Literature Review
decolonizing" yields 425,000 results! Even a search on an "academic" search engine, such as JSTOR, yielded 2,672 articles, reviews, and comments, showing that decolonization is indeed a fast growing area of study. One particular "traditional" field of study that has been in need of decolonization is that of archaeology. For years archaeologists have studied the cultures and material remains of seemingly dead or extinct cultures, disregarding the wishes and thoughts of the descendant communities of these "dead" cultures about how their ancestors, and ancestral sites, should be treated, handled, represented, and studied. This sentiment has been changing in recent years though, and archaeologists trained in the modern era of post-colonial critiques are actively striving in multiple ways to "do" an archaeology that is beneficial and respectful to living descendant communities. Long gone are the days of archaeology, where archaeologists can literally rob graves, just so long as they shout "This should be in a museum" as their justification. In addition to this, the traditional joke among archeologists and anthropologists that "archaeologists become archaeologists, instead of anthropologists, so they do not have to deal with living peoples" is no longer valid, though it certainly has been in the past (personal communication, Garrick Bailey 2012).
Indigenous Archaeology as Decolonizing Practice
Indigenous Archaeology as Decolonizing Practice sonya atalay colonial history, western lens Archaeology includes the study of artifacts and other aspects of material culture but is more importantly about people-understanding people's daily lives, their sense of place in the world, the food they ate, their art, their spirituality, and their political and social organization. In piecing together multiple lines of evidence, including written documents, oral histories, analytical data from artifacts and ecofacts, and a range of regional and local environmental evidence, archaeologists attempt to write the stories of the past. Stated simply, archaeology is one of many tools utilized for understanding the past. However, when placed in its proper historical context, it is clear that the discipline of archaeology was built around and relies upon Western knowledge systems and methodologies, and its practice has a strongly colonial history. 1 Many archaeologists have come to recognize that archaeology is based on, and generally reflects, the values of Western cultures. 2 In privileging the material, scientific, observable world over the spiritual, experiential, and unquantifiable aspects of archaeological sites, ancient peoples, and artifacts, archaeological practice demonstrates that it is solidly grounded in Western ways of categorizing, knowing, and interpreting the world.
Indig Archaeology as decolonizing practice
Indigenous Archaeology as Decolonizing Practice sonya atalay colonial history, western lens Archaeology includes the study of artifacts and other aspects of material culture but is more importantly about people-understanding people's daily lives, their sense of place in the world, the food they ate, their art, their spirituality, and their political and social organization. In piecing together multiple lines of evidence, including written documents, oral histories, analytical data from artifacts and ecofacts, and a range of regional and local environmental evidence, archaeologists attempt to write the stories of the past. Stated simply, archaeology is one of many tools utilized for understanding the past. However, when placed in its proper historical context, it is clear that the discipline of archaeology was built around and relies upon Western knowledge systems and methodologies, and its practice has a strongly colonial history. 1 Many archaeologists have come to recognize that archaeology is based on, and generally reflects, the values of Western cultures. 2 In privileging the material, scientific, observable world over the spiritual, experiential, and unquantifiable aspects of archaeological sites, ancient peoples, and artifacts, archaeological practice demonstrates that it is solidly grounded in Western ways of categorizing, knowing, and interpreting the world.
A Critical Archaeology Revisited 1
Current …, 2000
The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research will continue its Institutional Development Grant (IDG) after its launch in 2008. The IDG is intended to strengthen (or to support the development of) anthropological doctoral programs in countries where the discipline is ...
Archaeological Encounters: The Role of the Speculative in Decolonial Archaeology
Journal of Contemporary Archaeology, 2019
This article reorients archaeology's approach to things by acknowledging the moment of the encounter with the past as one of speculation. Years of scientific claim, research design and methodology place the agentive nature of research in the hands of the archaeologist: we go to the site to find the past. However, if we acquiesce to the possibility that antiquity approaches the archaeologist (rather than vice versa), then that forces us to contend with the contemporary nature of the encounter. This article considers the efficacy, urgency, and poetics of decolonization. Prologue Not all soil/miti is the same. 1
2023