Collaborative Project in the Atacameño Lickanantay Territory (Northern Chile): Toward the Return of the Ancestors

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

This paper seeks to reflect on the definitions and application of collaborative methodologies in archaeology. We highlight the contributions of collaborative and indigenous archaeologies to generate knowledge based on joint efforts, which considers local perspectives as well as having a potential to benefit processes of community interest. In the specific case of our research, the work has focused on studying the history of collecting and the patrimonialization of indigenous bodies in the Atacameño Lickanatay territory. Due to its contributions to decolonization, the methodology used in this work is inspired and nourished by collaborative and indigenous archaeologies, aiming to contribute to the political and social processes of the Atacameño People, by collecting one of their most heartfelt demands regarding the respect for their ancestors, which were taken away from their burials and sent to different institutions inside and outside the country. The joint work between Atacameño and external researchers has been carried out from a critical and reflexive perspective. First, to locate the collections of the bodies of their ancestors and, second, to socialize, sensitize and inform the Atacameño People and general public about the work carried out to, thirdly, talk and discuss about their return or repatriation to the territory.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• SAA 2025: Individual Abstracts

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 51812