Collaborative Archaeology to Revitalize an Afro-Ecuadorian Cemetery

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article presents an ongoing project to revitalize an Afro-Ecuadorian cemetery called the “Garden of Memory, Martina Carrillo,” dating from the eighteenth through twentieth centuries, and located in the community of La Concepción, in the Chota-Mira Valley of northern Ecuador. Throughout the design of a proposal for restoration of the cemetery the community of African descendants, including the National Coordinator of Black Women-Carchi, called CONAMUNE-Carchi, and a group of Ecuadorian archaeologists, employed a collaborative approach to the history and restoration of this sacred place. The archaeological project contributes to the recognition of local histories, development of an intercultural investigation, a reflexive understanding of the past and material culture of local community members, and commemoration of their African diaspora ancestors. This project’s methodology focused on achieving a form of historical reparations for the African descendants who were impacted by colonial slavery and racism in Ecuador.