It was almost amusing hearing about Kasey Allely’s experience collecting data on Farasan Island; locals driving over the shell mounds the team had come to research without a care in the world. This would have been a funny story if it hadn’t been for the blatant disregard for what is to researchers, an important archaeological site. For these people however, the mounds mean nothing more to them than a backyard racetrack, a stomping ground they have been raised traipsing over for generations by foot, car, and soon construction sites. In situations like Farasan Island where impending land development has put a permanent deadline on data collection, research prompting a sudden change of heart in preserving the site seems unlikely.
A similar narrative was seen in Weipa, while some locals attached meaning to the mounds, others didn’t recognise any importance until researchers arrived. These experiences go to show that the perspectives on the importance of research isn’t always shared, even by those you might assume would care the most. In Weipa though locals took real interest getting involved with the research project and engaging with the significance of their history, all it took was the importance of the mounds being highlighted by outside researchers. This inspires hope that research may help people to understand the importance of conservation and education.
Can we always expect a change in perspective when locals have been raised not to care though? Or does their disregard contribute to the ever-fluctuating cultural evolution of the sites? We can only hope that the communities who live on significant sites will see the purpose of research and get on board, however I don’t think we can blame them when they don’t, when they simply behave the way countless generations before them have.
