An archeology of non-contact: isolated indigenous people and the archeological materiality of Amazonian forests and plants

Abstract

In 1987, the Brazilian government implemented the “non-contact” policy concerning isolated indigenous peoples to ensure their original right to their territories and the principle of self-determination, that is, the political right to refuse contact. Enforced by the General Coordination of Isolated Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Peoples of Recent Contact, this policy seeks to produce information about their location, territoriality and way of life by investigating the material vestiges found in their territories. In this regard, analyzing the material culture of isolated peoples, which consists of artifacts, ecofacts and marks of their interaction in and with the forest, can be seen as an archaeological practice. Hence, this study seeks to improve the methods and techniques used in indigenous and archaeological work, in a complementary and cross-cutting manner, to broaden the understanding about these peoples and thus configure an archaeology of non-contact. It also contributes to the protection of endangered territories in the Amazon, many of which are inhabited by isolated populations, and can potentially add a new stratigraphic layer to the long-term history of indigenous peoples.