Engaging and Building Community through Archaeology at Monte Negro, Oaxaca

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Checking the Pulse II, Current Research in Oaxaca Part 1" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Since the 1930s, the community of Monte Negro has played an integral role in the research projects carried out at its namesake archaeological site. Beyond participating in the investigations of visiting scholars, community members have themselves initiated projects to collect and disseminate local knowledge pertaining to their heritage, sought resources for the continued preservation of their archaeological site, and promoted the community as a model for sustainable Indigenous tourism. During a productive conversation with local leadership in 2022, I was able to discuss how a more traditional archaeological research program might intersect with local needs and ambitions. After formalizing a partnership agreement, we began developing initiatives that included developing a children’s theater group, petitioning INAH to allow the community to retain archaeological artifacts, enhancing tourism infrastructure, and more. Later, and after several rejected attempts, I secured funding from a public scholarship grant that allowed us to make these aspirations a reality. In this presentation, I will talk about the collaborative relationship and initiatives I have developed with the people of Monte Negro and what implications it might have for foreign archaeologists like me who have a passion for Oaxaca archaeology.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Checking the Pulse II, Current Research in Oaxaca Part 1   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38575.0