Indigenous Archaeology in the Philippines: Decolonizing Ifugao History

by Stephen Acabado, Marlon Martin

Dominant historical narratives among cultures with long and enduring colonial experiences often ignore Indigenous histories. This erasure is a response to the colonial experiences. With diverse cultures like those in the Philippines, dominant groups may become assimilationists themselves. Collaborative archaeology is an important tool in correcting the historical record. In the northern Philippines, archaeological investigations in Ifugao have established more recent origins of the Cordillera Rice Terraces, which were once understood to be at least two thousand years old. This new research not only sheds light on this UNESCO World Heritage site but also illuminates how collaboration with Indigenous communities is critical to understanding their history and heritage.

Indigenous Archaeology in the Philippines highlights how collaborative archaeology and knowledge co-production among the Ifugao, an Indigenous group in the Philippines, contested (and continue to contest) enduring colonial tropes. Stephen B. Acabado and Marlon M. Martin explain how the Ifugao made decisions that benefited them, including formulating strategies by which they took part in the colonial enterprise, exploiting the colonial economic opportunities to strengthen their sociopolitical organization, and co-opting the new economic system. The archaeological record shows that the Ifugao successfully resisted the Spanish conquest and later accommodated American empire building.

This book illustrates how descendant communities can take control of their history and heritage through active collaboration with archaeologists. Drawing on the Philippine Cordilleran experiences, the authors demonstrate how changing historical narratives help empower peoples who are traditionally ignored in national histories.
 

248 pages, Hardcover

Published April 5, 2022

Reviews

[Cristobal Peña · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ifugao are admired among many things for never having been colonized and for having maintained their Rice Terraces for 2000 years. This book debunks both of those claims in what is a new paradigm on archeology where the researchers worked side by side with the current ethnolinguistic group being studied in what could be said to be a virtuous cycle, findings are presented to the community, the community asks questions based on what their oral traditions are, etc., the researches then find things, the findings are shown to the community and so forth.
My biggest and only criticism of this book is how hard it is to find in the Philippines. The book has close to no local distribution.

This book is really inspiring in how they approached the community and how the author(s) went ahead to do extremely original work that remains political.

I for one am really excited to visit the Ifugao Community Heritage Galleries which were sat up based on all the work that took to write this book.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biased review because I was involved in the research lol but this is a must-read for Ifugaos everywhere and I’m very glad I finally have. The afterward from Apu Maria touched my heart. Love.