Source: Heritage New Zealand
A new episode of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga’s Aotearoa Unearthed series of podcasts looking at archaeology in New Zealand is now available to download.
Entitled Queerying Archaeology, podcast host Dr Rosemary Baird talks with the organisation’s Policy Team Archaeologist Victoria Trow, about how taking a queer feminist approach to archaeology can open up new worlds of understanding.
Viewing archaeology through a queer lens can provide new interpretations of gendered labour, for example, while also highlighting archaeologists’ subjectivity and increasing our awareness of the diversity of past human experiences.
“It’s important for people today to be connected to, and aware of, this diversity of experiences. I’m really passionate about archaeological research that highlights marginalised identities and groups,” says Victoria.
“My interest is really fuelled by my own identity and experiences. Gender, biological sex, and sexuality has always been of interest to me as a queer and non-binary person, and so of course I’m also drawn to archaeological research and theory that centres on these topics.”
Victoria’s work in the social justice sector before pursuing archaeological studies – including as a Support Manager at RainbowYOUTH and a volunteer and Board member for OutLine – gave her an appreciation for how important it is for people today to be connected to the diversity of human experience.
Archaeology is an inherently subjective field according to Victoria, with people who excavate sites and interpret them becoming part of the production of archaeological knowledge.
“What that means is that we can expect different people from different time periods will construct knowledge differently and pursue different lines of inquiry. We can embrace this subjectivity by having archaeologists with different perspectives – and from different communities – revisiting archaeological sites and artefacts with fresh eyes,” she says.
“While the discipline of archaeology has excluded many in the past, it benefits
so much today from the growing number of indigenous people, rainbow people, disabled people, neurodiverse people, women, and people of colour in the field.”
Challenging and revising assumptions about gender is a key factor of queer and feminist archaeology, and although it is a comparatively new perspective, it is already shaping understanding and approaches to archaeology according to Victoria.
“I feel that every archaeologist practices gender archaeology whenever they’re making claims or assumptions on past gender. For example, whenever the material remains of certain activities – like tool making, hunting, foraging, making pottery or cooking for example – are interpreted as activities of men or women or both, we’re dealing with gender,” she says.
“I think you can argue that when any archaeologist doesn’t take it as a given that stone tools they’ve found were made and used by men – and that the archaeological remains of cooking are evidencing the activities of women – they’re opposing normative assumptions and binary thinking about the past, and that’s what queer archaeology aims to do.”
This latest podcast edition is yet another example of how Pouhere Taonga is embracing diversity in heritage work. By amplifying diverse voices in archaeology, the podcast continues their commitment to fostering fresh perspectives and more inclusive narratives about Aotearoa New Zealand’s past.
A leading example of this commitment is the Rainbow List project, which highlights heritage places of significance to the nation’s LGBTQIA+ communities. Just as the Rainbow List ensures a broader recognition of historically overlooked stories, this podcast episode challenges traditional interpretations of archaeological sites and artefacts, opening the door to richer, more representative histories.
Queerying Archaeology, part of the Aotearoa Unearthed series, is available to download now. (Warning: podcast includes discussion of kōiwi and human remains.)
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
ABOUT HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA
Tairangahia a tua whakarere; Tātakihia ngā reanga o āmuri ake nei | Honouring the past; Inspiring the future.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is the leading national historic heritage agency for Aotearoa New Zealand, operating as an autonomous Crown Entity. Our mission is to identify, protect, and promote heritage – Kia mōhiotia atu, kia tiakina, kia hāpaingia ā tātau taonga tuku iho.
We actively engage with communities, foster partnerships, and provide valuable resources to support those who are passionate about exploring, learning, and connecting with our rich cultural heritage. For more information, please visit our website at
www.heritage.org.nzABOUT ARCHAEOLOGY
In Aotearoa New Zealand an archaeological site is designated as a location associated with human activity before 1900, which can provide historical information through archaeological investigation. Pouhere Taonga manages the applications for archaeology in Aotearoa, making sure artefacts are found, recorded and preserved during construction and earthworks. They also advise on managing discoveries and help protect important sites, working with relevant iwi and Manatū Taonga on historical objects and sites that are important to Māori
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