This volume tells the stories—in their own words-- of 37 indigenous archaeologists from six continents, how they became archaeologists, and how their dual role affects their relationships with their community and their professional colleagues.

Working as Indigenous Archaeologists explores the often-contentious relationship between Indigenous and other formerly colonized peoples and Archaeology through their own voices. Over the past 35-plus years, the once-novel field of Indigenous Archaeology has become a relatively familiar part of the archaeological landscape. It has been celebrated, criticized, and analyzed as to its practical and theoretical applications, and its political nature. No less important are the life stories of its Indigenous practitioners. What has brought some of them to become practicing archaeologists or heritage managers? What challenges have they faced from both inside and outside their communities? And why haven’t more pursued Archaeology as a vocation or avocation? This volume is a collection of 60 autobiographical chapters by Indigenous archaeologists and heritage specialists from around the world—some community based, some academic, some in other realms—who are working to connect past and present in meaningful, and especially personal ways. As Archaeology continues to evolve, there remain strong tensions between an objective, science-oriented, evidentiary-based approach to knowing the past and a more subjective, relational, humanistic approach informed by local values, traditional knowledge, and holistic perspective. While there are no maps for these new territories, hearing directly from those Indigenous individuals who have pursued Archaeology reveals the pathways taken. Those stories will provide inspiration and confidence for those curious about what lies ahead. This is an important volume for anyone interested in the present state and future of the archaeological discipline.

This book surveys what has often been a stormy relationship between American Indians and archaeologists. Focusing on the areas where the two most often clash (ethics, legislation and archaeological practice), it describes where the mixing of indigenous values and archaeological practice has worked well, and where it hasn't, both in the US and around the world, and surveys attitudes of archaeologists toward American Indians with surprising results. The book advocates the development of indigenous archaeology, in which native peoples are full partners in decisions on heritage resource management and in its practice, too. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR

In 1989-90, Congress enacted two laws, the National Museum of the American Indian Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, that required museums and other repositories of Native American human remains and cultural items to consult with, share information about, and return some items to federally recognized Indian tribes and Native Alaskan and Hawaiian communities. What effects have these laws had on anthropological practice, theory, and education in the United States? In 2004-2005, the School for Advanced Research and the Society for Applied Anthropology gathered together a group of anthropological archaeologists to address this question. This volume presents their conclusions and urges a continuing and increasing cooperation between anthropologists and indigenous peoples.

In this book the author presents his findings connected with the archaeology of the Rajmahal Hills (Jharkhand State, north-eastern India), and discusses the wider relevance of his surface archaeology approach to the archaeology of the rest of the tribal areas of India. He also approaches the issue of a gendered study of rock-art and landscape archaeology both of which again fall within the domain of tribal archaeology proper. The author also has a keen interest in the theory of history and archaeology and writes about this subject in several of the chapters. Further sections engage in theoretical debates regarding the relationship between history and archaeology. The study concludes that it may be possible to delineate a separate domain for the archaeology of the tribal areas - called 'subaltern archaeology'. The present work breaks further new ground in historical and archaeological research in terms of the fieldwork undertaken in the Rajmahal Hills and elsewhere in India: the novel idea being that the tribal population of India does have a long-term past - an issue thus far relatively rarely investigated.

The main aim of this study is to examine the methods through which the managers of Nigeria's past have presented the country's heritage to the Nigerian public, how effectively this has been done, and how the current situation can be improved by 'marketing' archaeology to the public. The book's nine sections cover an examination of those institutions responsible for Nigeria's past, an ethnohistory of the Igbo, a review of the archaeological discoveries, conclusions and suggestions. The main aim of this study is to examine the methods through which the managers of Nigeria's past have presented the country's heritage to the Nigerian public, how effectively this has been done, and how the current situation can be improved by 'marketing' archaeology to the public. The book's nine sections cover an examination of those institutions responsible for Nigeria's past, an ethnohistory of the Igbo, a review of the archaeological discoveries, conclusions and suggestions.