Indigenous Archaeology, Community Archaeology, and Decolonial Archaeology: What are we Talking About? A Look at the Current Archaeological Theory in South America with Examples

Abstract

In this article, I review the various forms of political commitment in the field of archaeology in South America over recent decades using three cases: one from Argentina and two from Colombia. The several types of political engagements that can be categorized involve multiple levels of work, from the use of archaeological excavation in projects with indigenous peoples to the rejection of the application of archaeology within the purposes of the indigenous social movement; in between those two options, we distinguish practices such as multiculturalism and its reification of culture. At this level, past, heritage, and history become merchandise for cultural markets.