Navajo Archaeologist Is Not an Oxymoron: A Tribal Archaeologist's Experience

Many Navajos, or Dines, and Native American people in general, are archaeologists or are becoming archaeologists. The distinction between "Native Americans" and "archaeologists" in academia, or elsewhere, is no longer accurate. This fact should not come as such a surprise. As the epigraph, a quote by Richard Begay, demonstrates, Navajo people, for instance, have been caring for "archaeological sites" for hundreds of years as part of their cultural teachings. Although places of ancient human occupation in North America may be considered just another archaeological site to the majority, to Native Americans, these places may often be sacred, revered as the final resting place of one's ancestors, or feature paramount in family and tribal history or religion. Therefore, the leap to becoming an archaeologist is in keeping with Navajo culture, that is, in keeping with respect and protection of Navajo ancestors, the ancestors of other Native American tribes, and Navajo sacred or traditional cultural places. Seen in this light, the phenomena of Navajos becoming archaeologists is not so outlandish, and a Navajo archaeologist is not an oxymoron. This article explores the author's experiences in working for a Navajo tribal archeology program. (Contains 6 notes.)