The Gift: an archaeologist re-imagines the deep past

Abstract

This thesis is a reflection on Australian Indigenous peoples' engagement with science-based archaeology from the perspective of an archaeologist who has worked alongside Aboriginal people for four decades. It asks two main research questions: why Indigenous views of the past are marginalised? and, what Indigenous knowledge might look like in interpretations of Australia's deep past that is dominated by archaeologists? To answer these questions the first part of the thesis involves an examination of the historic context of Indigenous involvement in the discipline of archaeology, acknowledging significant shortcomings. The second part provides two detailed case studies working alongside Indigenous people: one with the Mudburra and Jingili people from the Northern Territory, the other with the Western Wakka Wakka community from southeast Queensland. The research demonstrates that both Indigenous groups have highly sophisticated views of their deep histories. Their views are tied closely to objects that they regard as carrying parts of their histories. A close examination of these world views, through studies of some important objects, shows that their histories have signatures that can be recognised in the archaeological record. Both groups confidently feel that their Indigenous histories reflect their pasts and who they are as people. However, they would like to expand their knowledge by working alongside archaeologists and other scholars such as historians. The final part of the thesis examines the shape of such a collaboration.