Both sides of the ditch: the ethics of narrating the past in the present

Archaeology is not just a technique for writing history: a statement that is very evident when working in Indigenous landscapes on both sides of the Tasman Sea. Social contexts inform the process of archaeology, with its underlying issues of scientific experts versus oral historians, colonisers versus colonised, etc. Although over the last 30 years there have been improvements in these relationships, and these should be celebrated, there is still a “ditch” to be bridged. Our paper examines the current discipline of archaeology in Australia and New Zealand, and traces the developments in ethics, legislation practice and theory that have led to its current position. Examples from both countries are explored to demonstrate the ditch that is still present between those undertaking the studies—who generally have a Western academic background—and those being studied—who may have traditional knowledge and a desire to relate to the past in a way that enhances their present. We suggest several mechanisms to overcome some of the legislative handicaps to such aspirations and continue the path towards truly equal partnerships and an ethical approach of narrating the past in the present