New Indigenous community approach to archaeology

A small archaeology project in the ACT suburb of Griffith is helping flip the way The Australian National University (ANU) School of Archaeology and Anthropology thinks about their archaeological digs.

 

The dig is the first step in a new ANU project initiated in partnership with Aboriginal Archaeologists Australia to explore Canberra's Aboriginal history using archaeology.

 

The ACT dig is being led by ANU Masters student Steve Skitmore, who said it was an ‘Indigenous community first’ approach that made it different.

 

“Instead of the traditional archaeology approach of starting with a research question then consulting with Indigenous communities, this is an approach more led by the Elders,” he said.

 

“This is a community archaeology project where we’re working in collaboration with the elders. We’re sitting down to listen to their stories and find out what they want us to look into.”

 

The dig is based around a small rock formation that local Aboriginal Elders say has long been used as a campsite.

 

Local Ngambri elder Arnold Williams said the site was used by his grandfather Harold ‘Lightning’ Williams, who worked at Red Hill Station for local land holder Charlie Williams.

 

“This is where Lightning would bring the horses down,” Mr Williams said.

 

“What is now the drain used to be a spring fed creek.

 

“There was a campsite here way back before Canberra was Canberra. There were people living near the creek here, as well as on Mount Ainslie.”

 

Mr Skitmore said the dig had yielded some fascinating finds.

 

“Close to the surface we've found a lot of building rubble. It looks like it's been a bit of a dumping site in more recent decades,” Mr Skitmore said.

 

“There are echoes of those stories we’re hearing.

 

“We’ve found some pieces of glass, but also some really nice pieces of stone that might have been brought in previously,” he said.

 

Dave Johnston, one of Mr Skitmore’s supervisors and Director of Aboriginal Archaeologists Australia, helped initiate the new approach and said he was excited about involving the community.

 

“One of the thing we want to emphasise is community archaeology,” he said.

 

“The key is the engagement with the respective Aboriginal communities to have mutually beneficial projects.”