Pierre Luisi

This project aims at transcending dominant research frameworks of archaeogenetics (the study of ancient DNA) that historically neglect the voices of Indigenous Peoples. We seek funding to support efforts towards rebalancing the situation through addressing issues of Indigenous governance and building models of co-production with involvement from Indigenous organizations. The objective is to overcome the actual status-quo of merely asking for authorization and instead work towards co-participation practices concerning research design, interpretation and communication of the results, and data sharing policy. Archaeogenetics research involves actors who do not necessarily share the same vision on addressing research questions. We will tackle this issue with 4 Indigenous organizations across Argentina, each within territories with its own historical and socio-cultural landscape. Using a Community-based Participatory Research framework, with members of Indigenous organizations participating as co-researchers, we will carry-out in parallel a series of activities (meetings and round tables) in each territory to put into dialogue scientific and Indigenous Knowledge and perspectives. In a final stage, we will compare these instances to identify reflexively the practices that allow to center archaeogenetic studies on the voices of Indigenous Peoples according to their local context.