Format: Paper presentations and round table discussion
Convenors:
Dr Alok Kumar Kanungo, IIT Gandhinagar, alok.kanungo@iitgn.ac.in
Dr Alino Sumi, Flinders University, Australia, alinosumi06@gmail.com
Dr Salome Zhimomi, Independent Scholar, salomezhimomi.higgins@gmail.com
Dr Mónica Berón, National Council of Technological and Scientific Research (CONICET), University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, monberon56@yahoo.com.ar
The 21st century marks a transformative period for Indigenous knowledge systems, shifting the narrative from marginalisation to recognition. For centuries, Indigenous communities were portrayed through colonial and Eurocentric lenses as “savage” or “primitive”, their knowledge systems discouraged and even dismissed, often to force cultural assimilation. These practices, however, embody sustainable living, ecological balance, and community-centred worldviews. Hence, what was once dismissed is now being acknowledged as integral to the science of humanities—a nature-driven wisdom tied to specific regions and ecosystems.
The renewed focus on knowledge systems and the communities that sustain them can sometimes perpetuate a different form of exploitation, as Indigenous ways of life are still subjected to objectification through visual media, museum displays, print publications, and academic discourse, including archaeology, without taking into consideration for long-term copyright benefit to the knowledge keepers.
This session invites scholars to deliberate on the ethical challenges and methodological dilemmas of researching Indigenous knowledge systems and their custodians. What does it mean to engage with a culture in transition, shaped by centuries of colonisation yet still grounded in the same geographical and ecological context? Papers are encouraged to address the complex interplay between knowledge, culture, and the communities who embody them.
Papers:
Ethnicity, Territory, and Processes of Stigmatisation toward the Mapuche People: Contributions to the Discussion from Argentine Pampas Archaeology
Mónica Berón, Instituto de las Culturas (IDECU), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras – CONICET
Florencia N Paez, Instituto de las Culturas (IDECU), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras – CONICET
The ancestral territory of Mapuche people, known as Wallmapu, encompasses an extensive region in Argentina and Chile, spanning from 34° to 42° south latitude between both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. However, in Argentine Patagonia, within the context of neo-extractivist processes and real-estate interests that promote the expropriation of these territories, the Mapuche are stigmatised as outsiders, invaders, and a latent threat. The mass media perpetuates these fallacies by invoking the concept of ‘Araucanisation’, portraying the Mapuche as invaders who imposed their culture on the Indigenous peoples of the Pampas.
The archaeological record of this macro-region has yielded abundant material and biological evidence of mobility, interaction, and complex social dynamics among Indigenous peoples settled on both sides of the Andes Mountains. These interactions occurred over at least the last two millennia. Furthermore, documentary sources from the 17th to the 19th centuries also report on processes of mobility and migration between Argentina and Chile, and how these were disrupted by the advances of Spanish colonisers in both regions. These findings challenge the dominant narrative and underscore the importance of recognising and valuing Mapuche history and culture in Argentina, in order to overcome the stigmatisation and discrimination they have endured over time.
Roots and Resilience: Indigenous Archaeology and the Kadar Tribes of Kerala, India
Dr Vinod V, Assistant Professor, Dept of History, Archaeology and Museology, Mar Thoma College for Women, Perumbavoor, India
Indigenous archaeology centres on amplifying Indigenous voices and knowledge in heritage research. In Kerala, the Kadar community, closely tied to the Western Ghats—a UNESCO World Heritage site—provides a vital lens to explore this approach. This study delves into the Kadar’s material culture, oral traditions, and ecological knowledge, connecting tangible and intangible heritage to foster inclusive historical narratives.
The Kadar’s sustainable forest practices and ecological wisdom, marginalised by colonial and postcolonial policies, highlight their role as environmental stewards and exemplars of cultural resilience. This research treats tools, sacred groves, and settlement patterns as the community’s valuable heritage. A participatory framework underpins this study, ensuring the Kadar’s agency in heritage interpretation through free, prior, and informed consent and equitable benefit-sharing.
Addressing ethical challenges, this study underscores Indigenous archaeology’s potential to bridge academic research and Indigenous knowledge systems. By fostering cultural continuity, it positions Kerala as a hub for inclusive archaeological practices. This research seeks to empower the Kadar community to preserve and promote their heritage.
Forcibly Induced Identities and the Loss of Oral Traditions and Cultural Memories; The Vaddas (Veddas) of Sri Lanka
Wijerathne Bohingamuwa, Dept of History and Archaeology, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka
Harendralal Namalgamuwa, Dept of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
Kalangi Rodrigo, Università degli Studi di Ferrara, Dipartimento degli Studi Umanistici, Sezione di Scienze Preistoriche e Antropologiche, Ferrara, Italy
R.M. Wijayawardhana, Dept of English and Linguistics, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka
The Vaddas, an Indigenous community of Sri Lanka, are undergoing unprecedented socio-cultural and ideological transformation, threatening their identity and resulting in the loss of their cultural memory and oral traditions. The forceful resettlement of the Vaddas, depriving them of their ancestral lands and traditional lifestyles with forced acculturation during the colonial and postcolonial periods has often been cited as a key factor responsible for this context. While development projects arbitrarily invalidate Vadda’s rights to ancestral ecosystems and their traditional lifestyles, additionally, the distortion of their identity and erasure of their cultural memories exacerbates the impacts on the Vaddas. Stereotyping them as a ‘primitive’ and ‘relic’ population, the categorisation of Vaddas by ‘outsiders’ as well as the imagined cultural and biological homogeneity and continuity undermines the dynamics of Vedda culture. Forcibly induced identities, where the concept of ‘Wanniyaletto’, and the commodification of the Vaddas for socio-political purposes misrepresent their identity. A damaging consequence of this process is the gradual extinction of the ‘Vedi language’, a repository of all Indigenous knowledge, oral traditions, and collective memory. This paper, therefore, re-examines key factors responsible for this context, rereading historical sources and reanalysing ethnographic surveys in light of the current debates on Indigenous communities.
Perception: Nagas the Head-Hunters vs Knowledge Practitioners
Alok Kumar Kanungo, Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, India
The Nagas predominantly lives in the hilly regions of North-east India in the states of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, and in the bordering regions of Myanmar. The knowledge system of Nagas, as well as the needs of the community, are bounded and rooted in their environmental and cultural context. Nagas have been fiercely sovereign, not only with respect to their land but also in their socio-political structure and have cultivated the production knowledge of their need in its entirety. This knowledge system includes both tangible and intangible heritage. Their innovative and inherited way of making and/or working with metal, ceramic, textile, salt, wood and bamboo; practising water management, agriculture, and architecture; and knowledge of hunting, fishing, medication, weather forecast, etc. makes them ‘knowledge practitioners’. Archaeological, historical, anthropological, and oral traditions testify to these inventions and innovations within the Naga Hills. Yet, it has been academic marketing to title most of the publications on the Nagas as head-hunters, even in the time when the Indian (traditional) knowledge system has been ruling the roost. This paper questions this perception and argues in favour of Nagas as knowledge practitioners.
The Mizo Society and Colonisation: Continuity vs Change
Dr Aten Jenla, Assistant Professor, Dept of History, Unity College, Dimapur, India
The Mizo society’s material remains serves as a criterion in identifying their roots. The society has been undermined by colonial rule, which impacted both belief systems and culture. The authenticity of its traditions and culture has been affected, and have undergone acculturation with colonisation. Since the Mizo embraced Christianity, a number of rites, rituals, myths, and traditional practices have been discarded, detaching Mizo society from its ancestral roots. This presentation will attempt to correlate the past with the present from existing knowledge.
Cultural Appreciation and Appropriation: Learning from the Nagas
Dr Alino Sumi, Flinders University, Australia
Cultural appreciation and appropriation are subjects of discussion in Indigenous studies. This presentation aims to explore ethical boundaries between these two concepts, while highlighting the misrepresentation and commodification of Indigenous Naga culture through colonial and Eurocentric lenses. Examples from anthropological documentation on festivals, rituals, fashion, and art will examine how appropriation perpetuates stereotypes and diminishes the importance of Naga heritage. Ethical engagement with the Naga knowledge system, including reciprocity, representation, and collaboration through lived experience will also be discussed. Furthermore, it will address the role of academia, media and public discourse of stereotyping or supporting Indigenous Naga voices. The paper will call for responsible collaboration and long-term benefits across all aspects of knowledge exchange.
Learning from the Ploughmen of the Middle Ganga Plain: Agricultural Practices
Shahida Ansari, Deccan College Post-Graduate & Research Institute (Deemed to be University), Pune, India
The Middle Ganga Plain has been one of the most fertile lands of the Indian Sub-continent. While it has gone through consecutive archaeological and historical episodes, anthropologically, it is a mosaic of hierarchical socio-economic order. In the midst of this, the Indigenous harwah (ploughmen) have been practising their age-old knowledge surrounding agriculture and water management. Since the material component of this knowledge system is organic in nature, establishing antiquity is a challenge. With time, when these organic heritage materials deteriorate, the loss is not just of the object but also of the tangible link to the community’s cultural practices and knowledge systems it represents. This presentation gives a special emphasis on the traditional agricultural knowledge of the Indigenous communities of Kols, Musahars and Mallahs ploughmen of the Allahabad district. Finally, it advocates what we have adopted from their innovation and what we can learn from them for contemporary society.
Intellectual Property Rights and Indigenous Knowledge: A Case Study of the Nagaland Patent Information Centre
Satish Konwar Chetri, Independent scholar and lawyer
The intersection of intellectual property (IP) rights and Indigenous knowledge (IK) systems aims to protect traditional knowledge from misuse and ensure Indigenous communities retain ownership over their cultural heritage. While Indigenous communities have been portrayed through Eurocentric lenses as ‘savage’ or ‘primitive’, their knowledge system have sustained them, and they are the custodians and keepers of their own IK. This communal, intergenerational, and non-commercial nature of IK has often been misused, leading to biopiracy and cultural appropriation. This presentation explores how IK of the Nagas has been commodified and commercialised without consent, agreement or compensation. In Nagaland, a Patent Information Centre (PIC) to support patent filing, Geographical Indication registration, and other IPR related services was established in 2011. This presentation will be a firsthand attempt to evaluate the ground workability and deliverability of this centre and to streamline a successful prototype for further PIC centres.
Ancestral Rituals and Cultural Valorisation Among the Sumi Nagas: Continuity and Transformation
Dr Salome Zhimomi, Independent scholar, Australia
This paper revisits ancestral rituals and their role in cultural valorisation among the Sumi Naga people. Using anthropological fieldwork, archival materials, artefacts, and both written and oral traditions, this study investigates the historical processes of change and continuity in ancestral ritual knowledge and practices within Lazami village. Specifically, it examines how the influence of Christianity has transformed perceptions of these rituals, while simultaneously highlighting the retention of core elements crucial to Lazami’s cultural identity. The study explores how this blending of past and present knowledge contributes to cultural valourisation within Lazami and the broader Sumi Naga community. Furthermore, it analyses the construction, replication, and transformation of narratives surrounding these rituals, revealing how these stories adapt to evolving cultural landscapes. Variations in ancestral rituals, reflected in the production and reproduction of cultural artefacts and performances, showcase Naga creativity and entrepreneurial potential. Finally, the study emphasises the ongoing significance of ancestral ritualistic knowledge for individual and collective identity among the Sumi Nagas, demonstrating their enduring connection to these traditions.
Negotiating Knowledge: Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Development Discourses in Nagaland, India
Rongsenzulu Jamir, Dept of Anthropology, University of Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Telangana, IndiaThe social, economic and environmental practices of Indigenous communities are reflected in their knowledge systems. These systems are deeply rooted in traditions like agriculture, resource and health management. The contemporary development policies for settled agriculture, infrastructure expansion, and economic integration overlooking indigenous practices lead to tensions between traditional and modern frameworks. This paper explores the negotiation between Indigenous knowledge and contemporary development policies in Nagaland, with special emphasis on environmental degradation and socio-cultural disruptions. Finally, it argues in favour of integrating Indigenous practices in modern-day policy making – a hybrid model.
Decoding the Harappan Gold Smithy
Banti Mahapatra, Dept of History, Maa Manikeshwari University, Odisha, India
The Harappan civilisation was the earliest urban culture of South Asia. Geological knowledge, trade, craftsmanship, pyrotechnology, and jewellery are some of the mainstays of this civilisation. Harappan society possessed a deep fondness and passion for gold ornaments; the earliest evidence of gold in the sub-continent comes from early Harappan levels dating to the 4th millennium BCE. Since then, gold has been an integral part of the Indian subcontinent. A wide variety of gold objects have been recovered from Harappan sites, including beads, rings, earrings, pendants and beautifully crafted necklaces. A few pieces of non-ornamental gold objects have also been found. This craft displayed intricate technologies like melting, foiling, and heating, as well as fabrications like shaping, forging, annealing, sinking, rising, drawing, and cutting. The appearance of gold crafts without proto-evidence has been a subject of discussion. This paper tries to understand the introduction and technological advancement of this craft (smithy) by morphological comparison with the preceding and Harappan-contemporary finds from Egypt and Mesopotamia. It also evaluates if the technology is adopted from other metal smithies, the indigeneity of Harappan designs, and their nature vs culture specific.