In Episode 3 Amanda and guest host Joseph LeBrun and have an amazing conversation with Dr. Camilla Townsend, historian and professor of history at Rutgers University. She spent over 10 years learning the Náhuat language to be able to analyze the historical annals written in the 16th and 17th centuries by the Nahuas (or Aztecs) in their own language. Spanish friars taught them the Roman alphabet so that they could be better Christians, but in the privacy of their own homes, the native people used the phonetic system to record their own traditional histories, which had previously been kept orally. They did this not for the Spaniards, but for the sake of their own posterity. Through the texts that they produced, we can gain insight into the ways in which Indigenous people conceptualized history at first contact and imagined the future. And Indigenous perspectives, in their own words, are given their deserved full weight.
For those of you who’d like to dig deeper into this subject, here is a link to Dr. Camilla Townsend’s book, Fifth Sun.
USA:
https://www.abebooks.com/9780190673062/Fifth-Sun-New-History-Aztecs-0190673060/plp *Content warning:* In this episode, Indian Residential Schools, gravesites, sacred sites and ancestral remains are discussed. These discussions may re-traumatize or trigger listeners because of the sensitive content related to the search for unmarked graves of children who attended Indian Residential Schools. If you experience trauma or are feeling triggered, help is available 24/7 for survivors and their families through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419. Mental health support for Indigenous Peoples across the land known as Canada is available through the Hope for Wellness chatline at 1-800-721-0066 or using the chat box at
https://hopeforwellness.ca/. The Indian Residential Schools Survivors Society provides information about these and other supports that are available:
https://www.irsss.ca
What is DIG THIS?
Welcome to DIG THIS - An archaeology podcast for good. Kind of like Indiana Jones…if he was a woman…more ethical…gave a shit about the people whose belongings he was stealing…and was actually doing real archaeological work. Ok. Nothing like Indiana Jones.
Every second Wednesday, Archaeologist and Owner of Kleanza Consulting, Amanda Marshall welcomes guests to have fearless, fierce, and fun conversations about their discipline, the work, the business, and ask some hard questions.
How do we decolonize our practice?
How does our work support Indigenous communities in their goals for heritage sovereignty?
How do we keep our company on a sustainable path for growth while supporting the professional goals of our team?
How do we achieve all this AND sustain a balanced life?
If you’re an archaeologist, anthropologist, environmentalist, conservationist, or industry leader who sees the need for change; an Indigenous trailblazer working towards cultural and heritage sovereignty; or a woman leading a business (or aspiring to!) - then DIG THIS is your podcast.