The lecture will take place in room 2017 Dunton Tower (20th floor) starting at 1:00 p.m. followed by a reception at 2:30 p.m.

Kisha Supernant, University of Alberta – Nov 9

Good Intentions, Bad Archaeology: The uses and abuses of Canadian archaeology against Indigenous people

In the lands currently called Canada, archaeology is often used to tell stories about the history of this place, but often at the expense of Indigenous nations. Throughout our disciplinary history, archaeologists have positioned themselves as experts on and stewards of the past for the good of all, even though those pasts are sometimes not our own. In this talk, I explore how archaeology in Canada has been and continues to be part of the settler colonial state, centering knowledge from archaeologists and heritage practitioners rather than Indigenous peoples. I provide examples of how archaeological research has marginalized Indigenous voices, even when archaeologists have good intentions, and make some suggestions for how we can move toward a better archaeology for the future.