Indigenous Archaeology in Asia and the Pacific: Regional Specificities and Colonial Legacies

Indigenous archaeology, emerging in the 1980s as a response to colonial appropriation and indigenous marginalization, represents a transformative shift toward collaborative, decolonial, and community-centered archaeological practice. While established in North America, Australia, and parts of Africa, its development in Asia and the Pacific has been uneven, shaped by diverse colonial histories, state policies, and contested definitions of indigeneity. This essay explores the origins, theoretical evolution, and methodological traits of Indigenous archaeology, emphasizing its focus on empowerment, repatriation, and the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems. In Asia and the Pacific, Indigenous archaeology navigates complex legacies of Western, Asian, and internal colonization, as well as state-centric heritage management practices that often exclude Indigenous voices. The case studies from India, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, and New Caledonia in this issue of Asian Perspectives collectively illustrate both the progress that has occurred over the past several decades, as well as persistent challenges including legal constraints, institutional resistance, and the folklorization of Indigenous cultures. Examples of successful collaborative archaeological programs highlight the benefits of long-term cooperation, decentralized governance, and the integration of oral histories and local ontologies into archaeological interpretation. In this introductory essay, we argue for stronger legal recognition of Indigenous rights, decentralized heritage management, and educational reforms in order to foster more equitable partnerships among Indigenous communities, researchers, and governments. Indigenous archaeology in the region stands at a critical juncture, offering a pathway to more inclusive, politically engaged, and scientifically enriched understandings of the past — provided structural barriers are addressed through sustained cooperation among all interested parties.