Dr. Ora Marek-Martinez, director of the Native American Cultural Center and assistant professor of anthropology at Northern Arizona University, will present the 2022 Jeffrey Parsons Lecture online on Friday, March 18, at noon.
In her talk, Refusal of Colonialism in Nihookaa Dine'e' Bila'Ashdla'ii Archaeology: Creating Pathways to Indigenous Futures, Dr. Marek-Martinez will discuss her research and perspectives on decolonization and Indigenization of archaeological research. Over the past 20 years, she has worked within, by, and for her Dine' (Navajo) communities; however, this work is in service of all Indigenous peoples. Dr. Marek-Martinez will share her research, particularly in the area of the refusal of colonialism using Indigenous archaeological approaches in the creation of tribally specific archaeological approaches. The work that she has completed for her People resulted in a Nihooka Dine’e bila’ ashdla’ii archaeology, or an archaeology of the Five Finger Earth Surface People, a ceremonial name for the Navajo People. Dr. Marek-Martinez will use her work with the Navajo Nation to discuss the ways that colonial based archaeology has impacted Navajo communities and the subsequent attempts at reclamation of deep history for the Navajo people. Finally, she will also give an overview of the colonial roots of archaeology that have created the space necessary for an Indigenized and decolonized archaeology.
Zoom link: https://umich.zoom.us/j/95567379046
