In Our Voices : Experiences and Perspectives of Black and Racialized Archaeologists in the Canadian Context

In this paper, Black and racialized archaeologists examine the intersection of power, race, and racialization in light of transformative developments in Canadian archaeology that re centre descendant communities and the lived experiences of archaeologists. We build on anti racist scholarship and bring this framework into the practice of Canadian archaeology where it has not yet gained traction. We begin by positioning ourselves and then draw upon conversations with Black and racialized archaeologists about their experiences in education and workplaces. We highlight key recurring themes that we heard and present them using fictional vignettes examining the dimensions of racism in the practices and procedures of educational institutions and cultural resource management firms, as well as in training opportunities and capacity building. In the final section, we present paths for transforming Canadian archaeology, with the aim of opening intellectual space for further consideration and timely conversations.