A foundational principle of Indigenous archaeologies is being able to define one’s own culture, heritage and history, both past and present. This leads to a greater sense of belonging and can help heal some of the trauma around self identification, commonly experienced within Indigenous communities as a result of colonization. Our hope for this site is to highlight the successes of Indigenous archaeologies and how it can act as a tool for healing, reclamation, and advocacy. We also believe the term belonging inspires images of true sovereignty and rightful ownership.
The symbol of the spiral is meant to pay tribute to the indigenous idea that time is not linear. Rather, the past, present and future are intertwined, continually looping into one another. Adopting this perspective within archaeology, can result in an a more empathetic practice that centers Indigenous needs, goals, and knowledge.
The video above is the property and production of Los Muertos Crew, a collective of latinx creators based in Mexico. They highlight and document many aspects of Mexican culture and daily life. To view more of their work click here. The weaving shown above is a symbolic visualization of the many different perspectives, stakeholders, fields of study, knowledge systems, and methods that are woven together within Indigenous archaeologies.
