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.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements; A Word About Words; Part 1. Framing the Conversation: Introduction Reckoning New Paths; Part 2. Listening and Learning: 1 Feminist Archaeologies from the Borders; 2 Seeking My Center Place: Migrations through Science and Tradition; 3 Starting Archaeological Studies as a Mature Student in My 40s; 4 Indigenous Archaeology and My Responsibility to Archaeological Legacies; 5 Decolonizing Maya Discourse of Identity as an Archaeologist; 6 Archaeological Double Agency; 7 Mayaland Deciphered: Archaeologies of the Self; 8 Where We Ultimately Belong; 9 Fresh Ideas from a Murdi Geoarchaeologist; 10 From My Tradition to My Profession: Moving between the “Gentiles,” Archaeologies, and the Hills of Colors; 11 All Roads Lead Home: Thinking about Archaeology Through Emotions and Affectivitions; 12 Working as a Proud Archaeologist Where I Originate; 13 Country, Language, Culture and Ancestors: The Cultural and Archaeological Journey of a Wiradjuri-Wangaaypuwan winarr; 14 Earth Mother, Sky Father, and Everything Inbetween; 15 Recalling Indigenous Knowledge in Cape Town; 16 From a Barman to a Scholar: Sharing the Experience of Being an Archaeologist and a Heritage Scholar in Tanzania; 17 Being and Becoming One of the Voices of Haitian Archaeology; 18 Coming Home with a Vengeance: Indigenous Activism on the Margins of Archaeology; 19 What Makes Me Different; 20 Making Inuit Archaeology Matter in Kalaallit Nunaat; 21 Finding Strength in Culture and History; 22 Raiders of a Lost Identity: Indigeneity and Archaeology in the Dominican Republic; 23 NDEE Archaeologist???; 24 Learning and Teaching with Love: An Indigenous Auntie’s Journey in Archaeology; 25 Becoming an African Archaeologist; 26 Being an Indigenous Archaeologist is a Calling: Finding Purpose in Archaeology; 27 My Story as an Indigenous Archaeologist and the Story of the Sámi Prehistory in Archaeology; 28 The Past is Exactly How it Should Be: Lessons in Indigenous Archaeology from a Birch Bark Biter; 29 Being More Than an Indigenous Archaeologist; 30 From Dictionary to Archaeology: My Intellectual Journey; 31 Being “Indigenous’’ is Weird; 32 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage; 33 The Path to Recognizing One’s Own Indigenous Identity: Implications and Challenges for an Archaeologist from the Peruvian Andes; 34 Growing up within the Territory of Great Zimbabwe; 35 Being a Nyikina Archaeologist; 36 Being Indigenous Archaeologists; 37 Laklãnõ, the Daughter of the Sun and Her Journey; 38 Rima O Te Rapa Nui -- The Hand of Rapa Nui; 39 Reflections of a Oaxacan on Community Archaeological Work in Changing Times; 40 When Science Becomes Personal: Practicing Scientific Research as a Borikua Archaeologist; 41 A Journey to and from Archaeology; 42 Finding a Sense of Belonging in a Discipline that Thinks You’re Extinct; 43 Becoming a Čâhiksičâhiks Archaeologist; 44 Being an Indigenous Archaeologist in Sudan; 45 My Indian Name is a Pyroepistemology (“Fire is a Cleansing Path”); 46 Reweaving Relations: An Indigenous Archaeologist’s Journey; 47 My Difficult Journey through the Ethiopian Historical Layers; 48 Walking the Walk: The Adventures of an Indigenous Decolonialist in the Land of Archaeology; 49 Being a Female Papua New Guinea Archaeologist: Finding My Feet Through Understanding the Past; 50 I Ka wā ma mua, ka wā ma hope: Using Our Past to Inform Our Future: Cultural Heritage Stewardship By and For Our People; 51 Reclaiming Our Voices: An Indigenous Archaeologist’s Feminist Approach to Rock art and Heritage; 52 Being a iTaukei Archaeologist; 53 Developing a Wai Wai Archaeology to Strengthen Ancestral Knowledge; 54 Knowledge as Wisdom to and from Archaeology; 55 The Land is Our Mother; 56 Dè Goı̨zıí (“Place Names”); Part 3. Reflective Essays: 57 Object Lessons: Reflexive Research & Restorative Methodologies; 58 Archaeology and Maya Studies among Contemporary Mayans; 59 Learning How to Dig Deep in Order to Thrive; 60 He maha ngā whaiwhakāro: Reflections of a Wahine Māori Archaeologist; 61 Afterword.