Communities that Matter: Towards a Collaborative Archaeology with Naga Descent Communities at Burakha (New Phor), Nagaland

Tiatoshi Jamir1*, Alison Betts2, Michael Spate3, Mepusangba4, Limasanen Longkumer4, David Tetso5, Ricardo C. S. Servin2, Yabangri Changkiri4, Heme4, Taliyanger Changkiri4, Asma Begum4, Robinson Huidrom4, Moses Newmai6, Akam P.6, and Chuthitu7

Because orality acts as a living repository of Indigenous knowledge systems, the Indigenous communities of Northeast India possess a significant wealth of oral tradition closely tied to their origin, migration, and settlement in the region. Archaeologically, these alternative accounts of the past not only reveal evidence of the presence of precolonial ancestral sites but also provide us with a plethora of knowledge associated with early settlement histories, polity formation, warfare, and past inter‑group relations. Considering the largely peripheral role and involvement of descent communities in Indian archaeology, the paper seeks to explore and draw attention to the nature of collaborative archaeology undertaken in Northeast India in two seasons of archaeological fieldwork at Burakha, an early Naga ancestral site. This collaborative study between Nagaland University, The University of Sydney, La Trobe University, the Department of Art & Culture, Government of Nagaland, and the descent community of New Phor integrates local traditions and archaeology to better situate the heritage of Burakha.