Kisha Supernant

Professor, Department of Anthropology, 

University of Alberta

Archaeology in North America has long been associated with colonial, extractive practices, where the materials, landscapes, and bodies of Indigenous people were seen as specimens and objects of study. The long-standing and ongoing critique of archaeology by Indigenous and other systemically excluded voices has led to changes in archaeological practice, but the harmful legacy of past research has not always been adequately addressed. In this talk, I explore how archaeologists are reorienting their work toward restorative justice, drawing on case studies from my own work with Indigenous communities in Canada.