Archaeological work in the Xingu territory of Brazil is rewriting assumptions about civilization in the Amazon. Through decades of partnership between the Kuikuro people and Western researchers, evidence of a large, complex civilization in the Brazilian territory has emerged. This collaboration is considered to be one of the most effective models of community-led archaeology in the world.
The partnership began in the 1990s with Michael Heckenberger from the University of Florida. Heckenberger not only worked with the Kuikuro people but also published with them, which was considered a rarity. Since the beginning of the partnership, they have been exploring the Upper Xingu region of the Amazon, which is home to many indigenous groups.
Initially, indigenous groups were skeptical of Heckenberger’s intentions. “They saw the holes in the ground and thought he was a foreigner who came here to exploit our resources,” says local school teacher and political leader Sepe Kuikuro. Later on, when Heckenberger’s team collaborated with some Kuikuro people to publish a paper in the journal Science, describing the complexity and beauty of ancient Upper Xingu, the work began attracting international attention, and the Kuikuro people began to see the value in the work.
The research has uncovered a vast, prosperous civilization that occupied the region for more than 1500 years. Interestingly, the outlines of the ancient cities are very similar to the Kuikuro villages of today, only much larger. It is estimated that at least 50,000 people lived in the towns at the peak of the region. The complexity and populations of these sites disprove commonly held beliefs about the sophistication of pre-colonial societies.
A defining feature of this research is the Kuikuro’s role in it. From the very beginning, the community has aided the archaeologists with oral histories, labor, cultural knowledge, and potential site locations. Villagers now train with the researchers in excavation methods, sensing technology, and cartography. The technology is allowing young Kuikuro to map their territory and understand their history. Archaeologist Helena Lima says, “We decide together where to look and what to map […] Our goal is to share these technologies and give them control over them.” All of the geolocated data is managed both in part by the Geoldi museum and the Kuikuro Indigenous Association. This intentional involvement is a shift from the general relationship between the indigenous people and scientific research. The dynamic hasn’t involved much input or collaboration with people native to the land being researched.
Efforts to expand the program continue, and other indigenous groups have followed suit. It is the way to ensure that the research is more ethical and accurate. Lima is working with nearby villages to create new educational pathways. Through partnerships with universities, young Kuikuro are given the power to conduct the research themselves. The drone pilot on the project, Viola, was awarded a scholarship created to prepare him for a degree in indigenous archaeology at the University of Brasília. One step closer to the indigenous communities taking charge of research efforts.
