Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Convenors:
Patricia Ayala, Departamento de Antropología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Chile, Chile; ruth.ayala@uchile.cl
Mariana Petry Cabral, Archaeology, Departamento de Antropologia e Arqueologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil; nanacabral75@gmail.com
In the Global South there is a growing number of research projects committed to collaborative and Indigenous archaeology, characterised by diverse theoretical and methodological approaches. These range from the integration of ethnography for various purposes, memory work, and the application of participatory action research, to experimentation with Indigenous concepts and philosophies in archaeological practice. Reflecting on projects that fall under Indigenous archaeologies, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers from different continents have contributed significant insights, bringing theoretical and methodological approaches through local peculiarities and varying relational strategies. The experiences of Indigenous archaeologies have demonstrated the transformative potential of archaeological practices grounded in local thought, offering alternative paths that challenge the hegemonic and normative frameworks of the discipline. In this roundtable, we invite you to explore the characteristics and diversity Indigenous archaeologies have acquired in the Global South, as well as their capacity to inspire new forms of archaeology.
Papers:
Educating the Consumer: Archaeological Community Engagement Initiatives in Belize
Antonio Beardall, Texas State University, USA
Archaeological research in Belize spans more than a century, helping to create academic interest on the varying subregions within, refocusing Belize’s prehistory as being central to the development of the ancient Maya civilisation, and building careers of many esteemed scholars in the process. Recent shifts in scholarship have placed academic attention on the importance of community/collaborative archaeological inclusion with local/indigenous populations. Belize hosts several archaeological projects each year, featuring increasing initiatives that focus on community engagement and education. Citing examples from archaeological projects this paper explores community engagement strategies in Belize and how these efforts contribute to decolonising archaeological research in Belize. This paper also examines the author’s current dissertation research to academically document the impact participating on a project has on a young Belizean, including their sense of cultural/national identity and cultural heritage.
Shared Experiences Between Gariwerd and Peruaçu: Rock Art, Indigenous Knowledge, and Cultural Continuity
Nathalia Guimaraes, Australian National University; Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, Australia
Melissa Marshall, University of Notre Dame Australia
Wendy Luke, Parks Victoria, Australia
Mariana Petry Cabral, Departamento de Antropologia e Arqueologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Emily Corris, Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation
Chrystle Carr, Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
Leroy Malseed, Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation
Amber Munkara, Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
Andrei Isnardis, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Lucas Soares, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
Vinicius Fiumari, University of Western Australia, Australia; Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
In October 2024, representatives from the Gariwerd Rock Art Management Forum Initiative, including Traditional Owners of Gariwerd and researchers, travelled to South America to attend the 30th biennial International Institute for Conservation Congress in Peru, visit Peruaçu National Park, and participate in a cultural exchange on Xakriabá lands in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Like Gariwerd (Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia), Peruaçu is renowned for its archaeological significance and rock art, recently been referred to the World Heritage Committee to be considered to receive UNESCO World Heritage status. The visit, guided by the local First Nations Xakriabá community and accompanied by researchers from the Natural History Museum and Botanic Garden of UFMG—an institution that has been researching the park for over 40 years—provided a unique platform for dialogue. Despite geographic and historical differences, both Peruaçu and Gariwerd hold deep cultural significance for the respective Traditional Owners, who continue to face challenges related to land and water rights, and colonial impacts. Yet, both also share a history of resilience and cultural continuity. This paper reflects on the knowledge exchanged during the visit, drawing comparisons between the shared experiences, challenges, and strategies of Indigenous communities in both regions.
Indigenous Archaeologies in Brazil: Mapping Encounters Between Knowledge Systems
Mariana Petry Cabral and Camilla Murta Ribeiro, Departamento de Antropologia e Arqueologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
The Indigenous demand for more direct involvement in research has gained expression in Brazil more recently, with an increase in projects and initiatives explicitly aimed at fostering dialogues with Indigenous peoples. In recent years, this movement of rapprochement and dialogue between archaeology and Indigenous peoples has unfolded in the engagement of Indigenous individuals as authors or co-authors of scientific texts, occupying a crucial space in science—the production of published research in academic journals. The occupation of this space by Indigenous individuals is directly linked (though not exclusively) to the expansion of access to university-level training in archaeology in Brazil. In this scenario, I have been conducting research to map the multiple ways in which Indigenous Archaeologies have been activated in Brazil, seeking not only to understand how this approach has developed in this context but also how it affects (or could affect) archaeology more broadly. Exploring the potentials and limitations of encounters between knowledge systems, I will discuss how archaeology can engage in the visibility of Indigenous knowledge systems and their holders, contributing to their survivance.
Reshaping Collaboration: Challenges and Opportunities in Crafting an Indigenous Archaeology in Palawan Island, Philippines
Janine Ochoa, School of Archaeology, University of the Philippines Diliman, Philippines
Gaddi Narte, Indigenous Political Structure, Pala’wan Indigenous Cultural Community/Indigenous People (ICC/IP) of Maasin, Quezon, Palawan Island, Philippines
Our current project involves the exploration of the interactions between archaeology and Pala’wan indigenous knowledge and culture. The location of the research is within the ancestral domain of the Pala’wan Indigenous Cultural Community/Indigenous People (ICC/IP) of Maasin, Quezon in Palawan Island, Philippines. One aspect of this project is the investigation of indigenous ways of understanding archaeology and heritage in the Philippines from the perspectives of locals who inhabit the places where archaeological sites are found. Using an ethic of collaboration and co-creation, we are also exploring how archaeology can be useful and valuable for the Pala’wan community and how they value archaeological heritage. In this presentation, we reflect upon this transformative research process and the challenges that we are facing. We situate this reflection within a broad history of archaeological praxis in the Philippines and the historical importance of Palawan archaeology in the Southeast Asian region.