Clovis Comet Debate - The Archaeological Conservancy
Clovis Comet Debate - The Archaeological Conservancy
Clovis Comet Debate - The Archaeological Conservancy
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
T. J. fergUSon<br />
<strong>The</strong> Development<br />
of Indigenous<br />
Archaeology<br />
Fo r d e c a d e s Nat i v e am e r i c a N s<br />
h av e F e lt t h at a r c h a e o l o g y h a s<br />
i gN o r e d t h e m. iN t h e 1990s<br />
a m o v e m e N t e m e r g e d, k N o w N a s<br />
iN d i g eN o u s a r c h a e o l o g y, t h at<br />
iN c o r p o r at e d N at i v e c u lt u r e.<br />
as t h e m o v e m e N t e v o lv e s, a<br />
d e b at e is ta k i N g p l a c e a s to<br />
e x a c t ly w h a t it is a N d iF it’s<br />
g o o d F o r a r c h a e o l o g y.<br />
By Wayne Curtis<br />
Hopi cultural advisors (from left) Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa, Kevin<br />
Crook, Austin Lomatewama, and Wilton Kooyahoema Sr. describe<br />
the relationship between ancient clan migrations and archaeology<br />
in the land they call Kawestima in northern Arizona while<br />
archaeologist Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh (right) takes notes.<br />
Ima g I n e t h e r e a r e t w o a rc h a e o l o g I s t s<br />
examining an artifact. One is a traditional archaeologist who<br />
notes such facts as the material the object is made of, its size<br />
and shape, decorative elements, and so on. She feeds this and<br />
other data into a vast matrix of information. She and other<br />
archaeologists will use analytical methods honed and refined<br />
over the decades to reconstruct the material culture of the<br />
past as accurately as they can, building hypotheses from the<br />
data to better understand how these centuries-old tribal cultures<br />
were structured, and how their members lived.<br />
<strong>The</strong> other archaeologist is a Native American, a descendant<br />
of the people who produced these artifacts. He and<br />
fellow members of his tribe consider this and other artifacts<br />
their cultural patrimony. <strong>The</strong> artifact fits into a preexisting<br />
information matrix, one born of long traditions,<br />
and it may offer tangible evidence of a lore that has been<br />
passed down through song, or myths, or art, or all of these<br />
forms of cultural transmission. He views this item not just<br />
as data but as part of a larger story that his people have<br />
been telling for generations.<br />
american archaeology 37<br />
american archaeology 37