ABSTRACT
After six years of fieldwork in central Conchucos (1996–2002), several months of which were spent working and living in the hamlet of Huagllapuquio, I (Alexander Herrera) find it intriguing that a Peruvian archaeologist such as myself should still be suspected of being a pishtaku. In this section I chart five years of changing attitudes and relations between archaeologists and the rural population. I focus on how the rituals we engaged in impinged upon this process and conclude that rituals at archaeological sites provide a crucial context for exploring and negotiating social bonds with the "other." Underlying tensions surrounding perceived economic dependence and "unfair" principles of labour organization can fuel demands for the reiteration of rituals and fuller engagement in ritual cycles.
