Indigenous Sites Research Articles

Cultural landscapes and the UNESCO World Heritage List: perpetuating European dominance

ABSTRACT The introduction of cultural landscapes within the framework of the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention is widely hailed as a landmark achievement. While it is often described as a boon for the recognition of non-European cultural heritage, we show that this is largely a myth. In the drawn-out gestation process, European countries’ listing ambitions were crucial, and topics such as Indigenous sites were brought up by the Global North while a concern for, as well as representatives from, the Global South were largely absent. Introducing the category in 1992 significantly broadened the types of acceptable sites, but European countries continued to dominate just like for other cultural heritage, filling the World Heritage List with vineyard landscapes rather than the sacred mountains that were first inscribed. European states also eagerly used extra nomination slots for cultural landscapes while non-European List leaders prioritised natural heritage and the conventional cultural heritage they had not yet exhausted instead. Moreover, non-European cultural landscapes have struggled to gain expert approval, as is demonstrated for African nominations. The mere introduction of a new heritage category thus does not suffice to alter a dynamic more than ever determined by national self-interests.

How the upstream oil and gas industry can leverage interdisciplinary research to more effectively engage with Indigenous communities

Since 2010, mining companies have requested permission for the destruction of over 463 Aboriginal heritage sites. Recent high-profile events have profoundly impacted culturally significant Indigenous sites, and mining companies are under intense pressure to demonstrate greater sensitivity in their relationships with stakeholders. The Australian Disputes Centre uses several case studies to explore how the upstream petroleum industry can leverage current interdisciplinary research to engage with Indigenous communities more effectively, both nationally and internationally. Interest-based negotiation frameworks are considered as actionable mechanisms that are as applicable in day-to-day business operations as they are in supporting consistent, culturally-sensitive stakeholder agreements. The application of a range of communication strategies and skills to harness intersectional decision-making is reviewed, and asks the extent to which engagement with external stakeholders reflects internal corporate culture. Obtaining and retaining a social licence to operate is top of mind for all resource companies, but it does not come without a congruent culture of principled negotiation. This study considers the emerging challenges within the sector, including how to empower all parties to negotiate more fulsome outcomes. Using various case studies, including one involving the conservation of submerged Indigenous heritage, an holistic, interdisciplinary methodology for managing cross-cultural sensitivities while companies undertake technical investigations, liaise with archaeological and ethnographic experts and negotiate with local community leaders has been reviewed. Clearly, inclusive communication is just the beginning.

The Effect of Pandemic on Homebased Tourism: Post Covid-19

The present study explores the effect of a pandemic on home-based tourism and tourists' decision to appreciate and patronize local indigenous sites, theater, and other tourism activities. An increase in the global spread of COVID-19 pandemic and incessant rise in deaths especially in renowned destinations, travel restrictions and subsequent closure of international tourist sites; have pulled Nigerian tourists’ motivation away from international destinations. A survey of 250 frequent Nigerian travelers reported their cultural experiences before and during the pandemic and their decision to patronize Homebased tourist-oriented activities. Major reasons for the push from international destinations by respondents were fear of COVID-19 infection, fear of death and stigmatization. Major reasons for pull were the low rate of spread, low deaths, and local traditional remedies availability. While the former were major push factors identified, the latter were perceived as pull factors. However, respondents never considered facilities, weather, and airfares. Thus, this research significantly models local indigenous tourist sites' projection and cultural activities as tools for revitalizing home-based tourism in the post COVID – 19 era. It calls on government, tourism industry and private firms to turn attention towards the revitalization of local indigenous tourist sites and cultural activities to attract tourists to enhance sustainable home-based tourism development.

Indigenous Australian heritage on private land: an examination of guidance provided by local government authorities of NSW

ABSTRACT Throughout Australia, large numbers of Indigenous Australian heritage sites, which exist on privately owned agricultural properties, have neither been recorded or documented and are not being actively managed. Anecdotally, some of this occurs in NSW due to uncertainties and fears held by the landholders. This paper examines the responses provided by several NSW Local Government Authorities (LGA) to a simulated enquiry by a landholder who may wish to remain anonymous but desires to obtain guidance on how to manage Indigenous Australian heritage sites on his/her property. The information (and forward links) provided on LGA websites was found to be generally poor. Direct enquiries were found to provide accurate information, but this entailed the loss of anonymity. Suggestions for improvement of the status quo are offered.

Ancient dog diets on the Pacific Northwest Coast: zooarchaeological and stable isotope modelling evidence from Tseshaht territory and beyond

Domestic dogs are frequently encountered in Indigenous archaeological sites on the Northwest Coast of North America. Although dogs depended on human communities for care and provisioning, archaeologists lack information about the specific foods dogs consumed. Previous research has used stable isotope analysis of dog diets for insight into human subsistence (‘canine surrogacy’ model) and identified considerable use of marine resources. Here, we use zooarchaeological data to develop and apply a Bayesian mixing model (MixSIAR) to estimate dietary composition from 14 domestic dogs and 13 potential prey taxa from four archaeological sites (2,900–300 BP) in Tseshaht First Nation territory on western Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Two candidate models that best match zooarchaeological data indicate dogs predominantly consumed salmon and forage fish (35–65%), followed by nearshore fish (4–40%), and marine mammals (2–30%). We compared these isotopic data to dogs across the Northwest Coast, which indicated a pronounced marine diet for Tseshaht dogs and, presumably, their human providers. These results are broadly consistent with the canine surrogacy model as well as help illuminate human participation in pre-industrial marine food webs and the long-term role of fisheries in Indigenous economies and lifeways.

Temporal variation in soil bacterial communities can be confounded with spatial variation

Investigating temporal variation in soil bacterial communities advances our fundamental understanding of the causal processes driving biological variation, and how the composition of these important ecosystem members may change into the future. Despite this, temporal variation in soil bacteria remains understudied, and the effects of spatial heterogeneity in bacterial communities on the detection of temporal changes is largely unknown. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we evaluated temporal patterns in soil bacterial communities from indigenous forest and human-impacted sites sampled repeatedly over a 5-year period. Temporal variation appeared to be greater when fewer spatial samples per site were analysed, as well as in human-impacted compared to indigenous sites (P <0.01 for both). The biggest portion of variation in bacterial community richness and composition was explained by soil physicochemical variables (13-24%) rather than spatial distance or sampling time (<1%). These results highlight the importance of adequate spatiotemporal replication when sampling soil communities for environmental monitoring, and the importance of conducting temporal research across a wide variety of land uses. This will ensure we have a true understanding of how bacterial communities change over space and time; the work presented here provides important considerations for how such research should be designed.

Sacred Sites Protection and Indigenous Women’s Activism: Empowering Grassroots Social Movements to Influence Public Policy. A Look into the “Women of Standing Rock” and “Idle No More” Indigenous Movements

Religion and public policy are interconnected across a variety of issues. One aspect where this linkage has been understudied is religion and Indigenous sacred sites protection. This article aims to address this gap by analyzing how Indigenous women’s activism advances this cause. The focus is on how Indigenous Peoples, specifically women, use grassroots activism to provoke change on public policy in the context of the protection of Indigenous sacred sites. Two case studies are used to illustrate this concept: the American “Women of Standing Rock” and the Canadian “Idle No More” grassroots social movements. My analysis draws from interpretative methods. Interpretative research revolves around the concept of individuals as active producers of meaning. The women-led grassroots social movements at issue highlight a fundamental lack of awareness of the historical and current struggles of Indigenous Peoples, both in the US and Canada. Modern technologies and social media provide democratic means for grassroots social movements to be heard and empowered. The growing movement by Indigenous women to assert their rights, and their quest for self-determination in land use and sacred sites protection create a positive discourse that advances Indigenous women’s position in crossing the obstacles onto “institutional places of privilege,” hence influencing public policy.

Indigenous Sacred Natural Sites and Spiritual Governance—The Legal Case for Juristic Personhood, by John Studley

Indigenous Sacred Natural Sites and Spiritual Governance—The Legal Case for Juristic Personhood, by John Studley

Vitrified wood charcoal and burnt bones from the pre-Hispanic site of Chasogo (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain)

Anthracological analyses from the highlands of Tenerife, known as Las Cañadas del Teide, are still very scarce and little is known about the diversity of human practices in this area. Thanks to accurate archaeological fieldwork at Chasogo, an indigenous site located at almost 2000 m a.s.l., it has been possible to recover a large amount of vitrified wood charcoal fragments and burnt faunal remains from a specific structure. Previous experimental work aimed at increasing our understanding of the phenomenon of vitrification has not reached the refractive rates observed in many charcoal assemblages from archaeological contexts such as Chasogo. Wood charcoal analysis indicates the predominance of the Canary Island pine (Pinus canariensis) suggesting a closer location of extensive pine forests during the pre-Hispanic period. The combination of spatial analyses of the anthracological and faunal remains from the structure studied are presented here, contributing to the discussion regarding the possible causes of vitrification and suggesting some working hypotheses for future analyses, i.e. a prior biological degradation (the state of the wood used) and the combustion of high proportions of resin and/or fresh bones (sudden changes in the combustion conditions). These results suggest that it is essential to integrate the anthracological remains and their micromorphological signatures into the general archaeological discussion in order to understand the nature and human use of this pre-Hispanic structure.

A spectrum of indigenous tourism experiences as revealed through means-end chain analysis

Ethnic culture is the special attraction of indigenous tourism, and exotic culture plays different roles in tourists' experiences, reflecting distinctive meanings and values. This study examines the complexity and hierarchical nature of tourists’ experiences at indigenous sites and deconstructs experience patterns using a means-end chain approach. Fifty-eight in-depth interviews were conducted and used to construct hierarchical value maps. Three sets of indigenous tourism experiences are identified: enjoying nature and a simple lifestyle, participating in indigenous activities, and experiencing ethnic culture. Two value-led gains are derived: happiness and enrichment. An experience spectrum is proposed from self-oriented, through self and others, to others-oriented, reflecting different orientations of pursuits that are expressed through experiencing indigenous tourism in various ways.

Cheilolejeunea morganii Bever. & Glenny (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiopsida), a newly described species from lowland indigenous forest sites in New Zealand

ABSTRACTIntroduction. Cheilolejeunea morganii Bever. & Glenny, a new species of Cheilolejeunea from a lowland forest habitat in eastern Taranaki in the North Island of New Zealand, is described and illustrated.Methods. DNA sequences were extracted from recently collected material at two locations and compared with those for species in a published phylogeny of the genus to establish the position of C. morganii. Photographic images were obtained of key features of the species for the preparation of illustrations for publication.Key results. Cheilolejeunea morganii does not match any species described for New Zealand or Australia. The sequencing results indicate its position in the phylogeny is close to Section Paroicae. A key to the New Zealand species of Cheilolejeunea is provided.Conclusions. In the Australasian flora, C. morganii is distinguished from other species by its combination of monoicy, pycnolejeuneoid gynoecial innovations, lobule length less than 50% lobe length and a multicellular second lobule tooth with 3–4 cells uniseriate. A case is presented for the recognition of the species as a New Zealand endemic.

Reconstructing ancient architecture at Tiwanaku, Bolivia: the potential and promise of 3D printing

The ruins of Tiwanaku (A.D. 500–950), in the modern republic of Bolivia, present an archaeological challenge owing to intense looting during the colonial period that effectively demolished the site. One building in particular, known as the Pumapunku, was described by Spanish conquistadors and travelers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as a wondrous, though unfinished, building with gateways and windows carved from single blocks. Unparalleled in the pre-Colombian New World, the craftsmanship of this masonry has long been considered the architectural apogee of Andean pre-Colombian lithic technology. Unfortunately, during the last 500 years, treasure hunters have ransacked this building to the point that none of approximately shattered remains of 150 blocks of the standing architecture are to be found in their original place. Over the last century and a half, several different scholars have carefully measured the shattered architecture and even managed to join several fragments to form complete pieces. This research revisited these historic field notes with a view to transforming this century and a half of documentation into solid 3D form. These measurements were entered by hand into an architectural modeling program; the virtual form was subsequently printed in 3D form at 4% reduced scale. Unlike large architectural pieces — or notes or models on a computer screen — 3D-printed pieces can be manipulated quickly and intuitively, allowing researchers to try combinations and seek connections rapidly, turning over pieces and testing possible fits. This tactile engagement, along with the ability to quickly try out combinations of the 3D-printed pieces, led to fresh and often unexpected insights. Once refined and simplified, this methodology, was demonstrated to the indigenous site managers who were provided with a full copy of the printed architectural fragments with a view to continuing research and to present the work to visitors, stakeholders and other scholars.

Two-decade long fertilization induced changes in subsurface soil organic carbon stock vary with indigenous site characteristics

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration at subsurface layers (i.e. >20 cm) remains unclear under long-term fertilization practices. Based on long-term datasets of fertilization experiments in four typical Chinese croplands, representing soils with high fertility at Gongzhuling (GZL, black soil) and Chongqing (CQ, purple soil), and low fertility at Zhengzhou (ZZ, aquatic Chao soil) and Qiyang (QY, red soil), we calculated SOC storage, its change relative to initial condition (ΔSOC) in 0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm. We also obtained annual organic C inputs (OCI; stubble, roots and manure amendment) and derived soil C sequestration efficiency (CSE: the ratio of ΔSOC over OCI) in 0–20 cm and 0–60 cm. The fertilization treatments include cropping with no fertilization (CK), chemical nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (NPK) and combined chemical fertilizers and manure (NPKM). Results showed SOC stock significantly increased with fertilizations (i.e. initial, CK < NPK < NPKM). Relative to initial condition, surface (0–20 cm) and subsurface (20–60 cm) SOC stocks significantly decreased under CK at all sites except GZL, a site with elevated SOC stocks under all fertilizations and depths. Subsurface SOC stocks significantly increased at high fertility soils (i.e., GZL and CQ) but remained no change or significantly decreased at low fertility soils (i.e., ZZ and QY) under NPK and NPKM. Accordingly, CSE derived in 0–60 cm was consistently higher than that in 0–20 cm in high fertility soils but lower in low fertility soils. These results demonstrated that subsurface soils (20–60 cm) remained as C sinks in indigenously high fertility sites but experienced substantial C depletions in low fertility sites. This study informed the need to account for subsurface soil carbon changes for accurate estimates of soil C sequestration capacity under long-term fertilization.

Power, production, and land use in German East Africa through the photographs of Walther Dobbertin, c. 1910

ABSTRACTThe essay analyses a set of the landscape photographs of Walther Dobbertin that were taken in the German East Africa highlands before the First World War. The concept of locality binds the discussion of three settler enclaves – A Trappist monastery, a Evangelical Lutheran mission station, and a government-leased farm. One exclusively indigenous site, the Mlalo Kaya, adds as well to the conceptual discussion. The photographs are high-resolution scans of the original negatives, and enlargements reveal much information about land husbandry and the ecological consequences of the implementation of colonial power in particular places. The analysis also suggests that the nature of locality formation has long lasting consequences.

Columbus’ footprint in Hispaniola: A paleoenvironmental record of indigenous and colonial impacts on the landscape of the central Cibao Valley, northern Dominican Republic

Abstract The 1100-year sedimentary record of Laguna Biajaca reveals human-driven landscape changes in the central Cibao Valley, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola. This sediment-filled cutoff meander is located in close proximity to pre-Colonial archaeological sites and a Colonial urban hub. It provided a nutrient-rich floodable locus for agricultural activities for indigenous communities and for the first introduction of Old World crops and cattle in the Americas. Integration of paleoecological proxies revealed the formation of a clear-water body surrounded by a palm-rich forested landscape around 1100 cal yr BP. Changes in the drainage system were linked to human-driven deforestation, which also changed the composition of the vegetation and fungal communities around the site between AD 1150 and 1500 (800 and 700 cal yr BP). Pre-Colonial modifications of the landscape were primarily the result of fire-use and small-scale clearings. Crop cultivation developed between AD 1250 and 1450 (700–500 cal yr BP). Within decades after Columbus’ arrival in Hispaniola in AD 1492, the first impacts of European colonization included the abandonment of indigenous sites and the introduction of Old World domesticated animals. During the 15th and 16th centuries the area underwent intensive land-clearing that allowed for larger scale crop cultivation. An increase of aquatic vegetation points to sediment-filling around AD 1700 (250 cal yr BP). At that time, cattle breeding expanded and rapidly provoked eutrophication while, concurrently, monocultures became regionally established. This paper provides a framework of past environmental dynamics and offers an opportunity to place archaeological findings in a context of natural and anthropogenic change.

Lead isotope ratios in 16th century copperware traded to North America: the Swedish connection

Isotope analyses have been made on the trace amounts of lead in a small set of late 16th century pure copper trade kettles and kettle debris from Indigenous sites in eastern Canada. The isotope ratios are highly correlated. We interpret these correlations as the mixing of copper from Precambrian Swedish ores with metal from one or more of the Palaeozoic deposits occurring in central Europe and the British Isles. The data enable us to identify samples of pure Swedish copper, metal consisting of mixtures of Swedish and central European – British copper, and with less certainty, samples derived entirely from the latter deposits. Although most of the trace element concentrations in the coppers are quite variable, it appears that nickel values may be less so (∼100 ppm in pure Swedish samples, and ∼1100 ppm in the central European – British sources). Based on these values, two-component mixing relations provide estimates of the fractions of Swedish end members in mixed samples. These results suggest that more than half of the copper used in forming the kettles originated in Sweden.

Indigenous built structures and anthropogenic impacts on the stratigraphy of Northern Australian rockshelters: insights from Malarrak 1, north western Arnhem Land

Malarrak 1 is currently the northernmost excavated rockshelter on the Australian mainland, located in the Wellington Range in north western Arnhem Land. The site contains a rich late Holocene deposit, with extensive contact rock art, stone artefacts, shell, bone, contact materials, ancestral human remains, and other cultural material. Excavation of the Malarrak 1 rockshelter and analysis of its sediments revealed many impacts on site formation processes within the deposit. We attribute the disturbance to possible erosion or sediment deposition during periods of intense rainfall and also to the construction of timber structures within the site. This is supported by modern and historical observations and is the focus of this paper. The extent of the disturbance to Malarrak 1 provides a cautionary tale for other excavations in the region that may be affected by similar Indigenous site occupation, as these anthropogenic activities enhance the risk of further impacts arising from biological and geomorphological processes that can impinge on the stratigraphic integrity of the cultural deposits.

Semi-Automatic Detection of Indigenous Settlement Features on Hispaniola through Remote Sensing Data

Satellite imagery has had limited application in the analysis of pre-colonial settlement archaeology in the Caribbean; visible evidence of wooden structures perishes quickly in tropical climates. Only slight topographic modifications remain, typically associated with middens. Nonetheless, surface scatters, as well as the soil characteristics they produce, can serve as quantifiable indicators of an archaeological site, detectable by analyzing remote sensing imagery. A variety of pre-processed, very diverse data sets went through a process of image registration, with the intention to combine multispectral bands to feed two different semi-automatic direct detection algorithms: a posterior probability, and a frequentist approach. Two 5 × 5 km2 areas in the northwestern Dominican Republic with diverse environments, having sufficient imagery coverage, and a representative number of known indigenous site locations, served each for one approach. Buffers around the locations of known sites, as well as areas with no likely archaeological evidence were used as samples. The resulting maps offer quantifiable statistical outcomes of locations with similar pixel value combinations as the identified sites, indicating higher probability of archaeological evidence. These still very experimental and rather unvalidated trials, as they have not been subsequently groundtruthed, show variable potential of this method in diverse environments.

From western cowboys to eastern shepherds: Funerary practices and animal husbandry in Mauretania and Numidia from the first millennium BC to circa 500AD

The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in zooarchaeological studies and the comparison with other data sources are still very limited. This paper presents the results of a combined study of funerary monuments and animal husbandry practices dated from the first millennium BC to circa 500 AD in the present-day territories of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The main objectives were to determine whether Roman boundaries in the Maghreb were created based on existing cultural differences, and to explore changes and/or continuities in funerary practices and meat diet between territories and cultural groups. The multi-disciplinary approach revealed the existence of clear differences between the western and eastern area considered, both in animal husbandry and funerary practices. A prevalence of primary inhumations in bazinas was attested in Morocco and western Algeria, contrasting with the prevalence of secondary ‘defleshed’ depositions in dolmens in eastern Algeria and Tunisia. Regarding animal husbandry, sites located in present-day Morocco and western Algeria had higher relative frequencies of cattle compared to sheep/goats oriented husbandry at sites in eastern Algeria and Tunisia, at both Phoenician-Punic and indigenous sites. The results suggest the existence of distinct cultural groups that display different funerary practices and animal husbandry strategies in the first millennium BC, and that these differences persist over time. A possible economic frontier sits between the eastern limit of the Atlas Tellien and the Aures Mountains. Interestingly, a mixture of indigenous funerary practices is attested there, which suggests that it was an area of contact between different cultural traditions. The combined results roughly coincide with the limits of the Roman provinces of Mauretania Tingitana, Mauretania Caesariensis and Africa Proconsularis, thus suggesting that Romans considered previous existing boundaries to organise the territory.

Large‐scale regional delineation of riparian vegetation in the arid and semi‐arid Pilbara region, WA

AbstractMultiscene Landsat 5 TM imagery, Principal Component Analysis, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index were used to produce the first region‐scale map of riparian vegetation for the Pilbara (230,000 km2), Western Australia. Riparian vegetation is an environmentally important habitat in the arid and desert climate of the Pilbara. These habitats are supported by infrequent flow events and in some locations by groundwater discharge. Our analysis suggests that riparian vegetation covers less than 4% of the Pilbara region, whereas almost 10.5% of this area is composed of groundwater dependent vegetation (GDV). GDV is often associated with open water (river pools), providing refugia for a variety of species. GDV has an extremely high ecological value and are often important Indigenous sites. This paper demonstrates how Landsat data calibrated to Top of Atmosphere reflectance can be used to delineate riparian vegetation across 16 Landsat scenes and two Universal Transverse Mercator spatial zones. The proposed method is able to delineate riparian vegetation and GDV, without the need for Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function correction. Results were validated using ground truth data from local and regional scale vegetation surveys.