Diplomacy and Diversity: Intercultural Dialogues and Collaborations in Tarapacá (Northern Chile, Atacama Desert)

We present three case studies illustrating how the relationships between academic teams and local communities in northern Chile (in the middle of Atacama Desert) aided in the reconstruction of the past, the enhancement of heritage and the recognition of Indigenous rights. First, we discuss intercultural dialogues with the Mocha community regarding archaeological projects on the millenary history of humans and non-humans in the Tarapacá territory, which led to further collaborations with the neighboring Huaviña community, where we are in the process of co-writing a book about their past on their own terms. Second, we analyze the anthropological and archaeological reports mandated by the communities of Camiña and Quipisca according to their own defense processes of their ancestral lands. Third, we reflect on a co-produced cultural project with Nama community, which included heritage and museum interpretation at the nearby archaeological site, designed and developed together with researchers. These case studies are used to illumine the relevance of writing as a diplomatic process in the context of diverse social realities.