ABSTRACT
For over a decade beginning in 1998, violent social conflict in Maluku province, Indonesia, affected archaeological research and to some extent reset the role of the past to the present in the region. Since the end of violence, contemporary residents of Maluku have been increasingly interested in exploring their unique identity by reflecting on their history, culture and archaeological heritage. This paper reflects on the experiences from several different community archaeology projects from before, during and after Maluku’s conflict period. In particular, we focus on the changing interests in local people in archaeological work over these periods, the ways media utilized archaeological information and prospects for heritage value and protection in different social, economic and political situations.
