ABSTRACT
In the mid-1980s I initiated archaeological research in northern Sonora, México, and threaded my way into the tangled skein of double colonialism along the border. I did so with a keen awareness of the imperialist archaeology that U.S. scholars traditionally practiced in México. I also had a developing sense of the colonialist nature of prehistoric archaeology in the United States. Since beginning this project, my Mexican collaborator Elisa Villalpando and I have tried to create a praxis of archaeology that challenges both the imperialism and the colonialism that we encountered on the border. Creating emancipatory praxis will never be an easy thing to do. The realities of social relations and ethics are never so dear and distinctly defined as they are in abstract discussions. Splendid formulas for life simplify the real politics, conflicting interests, ambiguities, and contradictions of working with multiple communities. . . .
