ABSTRACT
The author offers a brief account of his personal experiences, some Indigenous perceptions of the past and of the discipline of archaeology, from a Papua New Guinean (PNG) archaeologist's point of view. After completing the studies at La Trobe University, the author spent two months of fieldwork at the Marki Alonia site in Cyprus with the Australian-Cypriot Expedition, before returning to PNG in early 1999. The archaeology program at the university comes under the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and is housed under the Anthropology and Sociology Strand. Just like Western archaeologists who are attracted to artifacts in order to uncover prehistoric societies and reconstruct the meanings of ancient lifestyles. Education and training programs in archaeology not only increase its profile, but also strengthen ties with neighbouring Melanesian countries. As part of the permitting process, provincial and local-level authorities are informed so that individuals within the community can participate in the discussion of archaeological projects.
