Knowledge about archaeological field schools in Africa

The Tanzanian experience

Bibliographic Data

ID6042632
AuthorsAsmeret Ghebreigziabiher Mehari (University of Florida, corresponding author), Peter R Schmidt (0000-0002-5700-3144, University of Florida), Bertram B Mapunda (University of Dar es Salaam)
Year2014
Volume49
Issue2
Pages184-202
Publication date2014-04-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAzania Archaeological Research in Africa (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0067-270X • E-ISSN: 1945-5534
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/0067270x.2014.912492
OpenAlexW2149797990
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited18

Despite the increase number of African professionals in archaeology over the last three decades, knowledge about the history and state of contemporary archaeological field schools and how Africans are trained in the discipline is poor. This paper argues that close examination and open discussion of past and current archaeological field schools are a must if transformations of archaeological practices in Africa are expected to take place. Using the Tanzanian experience, it presents the history and current state of archaeological field training. The paper focuses on the ethics of training Africans in archaeology introduced in the 1980s and the changes that occurred between then and now, concluding with the successes and issues that arise from these pedagogies.Malgré le nombre croissant d'archéologues professionnels africains sur les trois dernières décennies, l'historique et le statut des chantiers-stage actuels, et la question de comment les collègues africains reçoivent leur formation sur le terrain, restent mal compris. Cet article avance qu'un examen rapproché et une discussion franche des chantiers-stage archéologiques, du passé aussi bien qu'actuels, s'imposent si nous espérons des transformations dans les pratiques archéologiques en Afrique. Prenant comme cas d'étude la Tanzanie, cet article présente l'historique et l'état actuel de la formation sur le terrain. L'article considère spécialement la question de l'éthique de la formation des collègues africains en archéologie, introduite dans les années 1980, et les changements qui se sont produits depuis cette date. La conclusion présente les succès et les problèmes survenus à la suite de ces pédagogies.Keywords: ArchaeologyField SchoolAfricaTanzania AcknowledgementsWe are grateful to the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), the Antiquities Division (Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism) and the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) for providing research permits to Asmeret G. Mehari to conduct her dissertation research. She was funded by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research [grant numbers 8036 and WIF-119]. The fieldwork, both archival and ethnographic, was made possible through the support and assistance of members of UDSM's Archaeology Unit, especially Dr Charles B. Saanane and Mrs Asha Changai. We also appreciate all the field school directors for allowing Asmeret to participate in their field school projects and those who shared their experiences, including assistant instructors. We further extend our deepest gratitude to all graduates of the programme, particularly the first and second year undergraduate students who attended field schools between August to September 2011, for warmly welcoming Asmeret as well as sharing their field experiences. Similarly, we are grateful to an anonymous reviewer and the editors for their valuable comments on the paper. We are responsible for any shortcomings that may appear in it.Notes on contributorsAsmeret G. Mehari is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Florida. She has conducted extensive ethnographic and archival research into the development of archaeological practices and pedagogies in East Africa and is a graduate in archaeology from the University of Asmara, Eritrea.Peter R. Schmidt is Professor of Anthropology and African Studies at the University of Florida. He was instrumental in founding the Archaeology Unit (now the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies) at the University of Dar es Salaam in 1985–87. He has published widely in African archaeology, heritage, oral traditions and community engagements, including nine authored or edited books.Bertram B. Mapunda is an Associate Professor of Archaeology and Heritage at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he is also serving as the Principal (Dean) of the College of Humanities. He obtained his BA in Archaeology from the University of Dar es Salaam in 1989 and then studied at the University of Florida, where he obtained his MA in 1991 and his PhD in 1995. Since then he has been involved with teaching archaeology and history at both undergraduate and graduate levels, leading field schools, as well as supervising Masters and doctoral students. He has also remained active in field research, both personal and collaborative, from which he has produced several publications in the fields of archaeometallurgy, public archaeology, heritage management and social history

Archaeology · Art · Ethnology · Geography · Humanities · African history and culture analysis · Archaeological Research and Protection · Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation · History

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