Appropriated Pasts: Indigenous Peoples and the Colonial Culture of Archaeology: Archaeology has been complicit in the appropriation of indigenous peoples' pasts worldwide. While tales of blatant archaeological colonialism abound from the era of empire, the process also took more subtle and insidious forms. Ian McNiven and Lynette Russell outline archaeology's "colonial culture" and how it has shaped archaeological practice over the past century. Using examples from their native Australia-- and comparative material from North America, Africa, and elsewhere-- the authors show how colonized peoples were objectified by research, had their needs subordinated to those of science, were disassociated from their accomplishments by theories of diffusion, watched their histories reshaped by western concepts of social evolution, and had their cultures appropriated toward nationalist ends. The authors conclude by offering a decolonized archaeological practice through collaborative partnership with native peoples in understanding their past. |
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Aborig Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal culture Africa ancestors ancient anthropology antiquity archaeological research argued artifacts associated Australian Aboriginal Australian archaeology Birdsell Bradshaw chaeological cited civilization colonial colonialist concept constructed contemporary context cultural heritage cultural traits degeneration diffusionism digenous discourse Elkin Elliot Smith Enlightenment European colonization evidence excavation Gwion Hodgen human hunter-gatherers Huxley Indigenous archaeology Indigenous communities issue Kimberley land linked Lovejoy and Boas material culture Mathew McNiven megalithic ment migration migrationism modern mounds Mount Elephant Mulvaney Murray Museum Native Americans Native Title natural Neanderthal Negritos nineteenth century non-Aboriginal noted notion oral traditions past prehistoric archaeology prehistory primitive primordial progressivism Queensland race racial recent remains remarked represented rock art savages scientific seen significance skull social evolutionism society stages Stone Age stone circles stone tools Sydney Tasmanian Aboriginal Tasmanians Tindale tion tralian trihybrid trope Tylor Victoria Walsh Wanjina Wardaman Western Windschuttle Yorta