ABSTRACT

This introductory chapter provides an overview of the book, which contributes to the development of archaeological critical theory through the exploration of the concept of indigeneity and the power imbalance that occurs when "We" define "the Other" by categorizing "Them" as indigenous. The book analyzes and debates the challenges and possibilities of the concept of indigeneity in relation to archaeology and heritage, from different perspectives, experiences, and standpoints, and attempt to reinterpret it as a theoretically, ethically and politically viable concept. Indigenous peoples in different parts of the world often share experiences of colonization, marginalization and discrimination, which form individual and collective historical traumas. Indigenous archaeology is a sphere where postcolonial theory has been used and is useful, because it pluralizes rather than singularizes. Central to Indigenous archaeology are issues of pluralism, identity, the subaltern and cultural hybridity, and a decentering of positions.