Nicholas Laluk
University of California, Berkeley

Indigenizing Archaeological Method, Theory and Practice through Place-based Research and Understanding
Ndee (Apache) placemaking in the American Southwest is ancient and intergenerational. Since time immemorial, Ndee (Apache) communities have held deep and ongoing connections to the landscape. Anthropologist Keith Basso notes—in Wisdom Sits in Places—how such topographical associations link Ndee societal, moral, and social behavior through time. Beyond this, how specifically do contemporary Ndee communities associate themselves to the landscape, and what can these associations tell us about place-based understandings of rationality and Ndee ecological practices? Moreover, how can the concept of placemaking in contemporary Ndee society act as an “Indigenous methodology,” highlighting an intricate network of place-based ways of knowing for archaeologists.

Nicholas Laluk is a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe located in east-central Arizona and is an Indigenous archaeologist interested in the continued decolonization and Indigenization of the archaeological discipline. Currently, his research focuses on sovereignty-driven research and utilizing tribal best management practices and cultural tenets to better address the wants and needs of Tribal nations engaged in collaborative archaeological research.

Tuesday, January 16, 12:15 pm
38 West 86th Street, Lecture Hall

Lunch will be served starting at noon. Registration required.