ABSTRACT
The assembled contributions in the present volume present various perspectives by Indigenous voices regarding sacred sites. The collective motivation involves a convergence of two elements: 1) to address the historical and present marginalization of Indigenous cultures by offering a space in book form that supports the expression of Indigenous perspectives, and 2) to direct attention to Indigenous sacred sites, which hold a particular significance to Indigenous identities and play a critical role in protecting Indigenous cultures from marginalization. This volume looks to the notion of a sacred site as something defined by its Indigenous custodians. As such, sacred sites can be natural or human-made, can be situated in any geographic location, can be closed or open to non-Indigenous visitors and can exist inside or outside of international or national designations such as protected areas or conservation zones. The primary interest of the volume is to provide a platform for Indigenous custodians to explain how they view and treat the sacred through a written account that is available to a global audience. The present volume endeavors to illustrate the value of Indigenous voices in the discourse on sacred sites by presenting an array of works involving Indigenous authors of diverse backgrounds from different locations presenting respective viewpoints about the treatment of Indigenous sacred sites.
