Agenda

Indigenous Archaeology is a field of archaeology focused on the involvement of indigenous peoples and communities and the integration of their interests and perspectives into the discipline, both practically and theoretically, to make it more representative, accountable, and relevant. It also aims to inform and broaden the understandings and interpretations of the archaeological record by considering indigenous knowledge systems, history, and science (Nicholas 2008: 1660). Indigenous archaeology has not developed at the same speed in the different regions of the world: practiced earlier in North America and Oceania, it is emerging more recently in Taiwan and Thailand. It takes different forms according to the local history, archaeological traditions, and sponsors involved. In this workshop, the speakers will compile a picture of the state of Indigenous archaeological research in several countries of the vast Asia and Pacific area, highlighting how historical, ethnic, and scientific specificities have shaped the approaches that have been developed. What difficulties have been encountered, and what concepts and methods have been developed? How has this approach enriched or contributed to the archaeological project carried out? What are the societal, economic, and environmental implications? The papers will also outline future developments in Indigenous archaeology and highlight methods that could be further developed.​