PEOPLING ARCHAEOLOGY IN BELIZE: HUMANITY BEYOND THE REMAINS

Archaeological research in Belize spans more than a century, helping to create academic interest on the varying subregions within, refocusing Belize’s prehistory as being central to the development of the ancient Maya civilization, and building careers of many esteemed scholars in the process. Recent shifts in scholarship have placed academic attention on the importance of community/collaborative archaeological inclusion with local/indigenous populations. Belize hosts several archaeological projects each year, featuring increasing initiatives that focus on community engagement and education. Citing examples not only from archaeological projects but also from the Institute of Archaeology, NICH this paper explores community engagement strategies in Belize and how these efforts contribute to decolonizing archaeological research in Belize. This paper also examines the lead author’s current dissertation research to academically document the impact participating on a project has on a young Belizean including their sense of cultural/national identity and cultural heritage.