Knowledge exchange with the Tikuna of the Amazon: ASE colleagues collaborate with UCL

26 August 2024

At the Museu Maguta, an indigenous museum located in Benjamin Constant (Amazonas state, Brazil), ASE Archaeologist Eli Diaz Pila collaborated with partners to host a series of workshops. Read on to learn about Eli's experience.

Renata Peters (UCL Institute of Archaeology) lead the programme at the Museu Maguta, with support from Delphine Mercier (UCL Anthropology), and Nacho Echeverria (UCL Library, Culture, Collections & Open Science), and ASE Archaeologist Eli.

Eli was part of the conservation team in the project 'Resignification of a collection display in an indigenous museum:exchanging knowledge with the Tikuna of the Amazon'. This collaborative project focused on exchanging indigenous methods of collecting displaying and preserving collections. Eli was thrilled to be part of the conservation team teaching preventive conservation in the museum.

Fourteen people – including Eli - stand together facing the camera, smiling. They each hold a certificate. Some are holding artefacts – short handled spears. Behind them is the Museu Maguta.

She said "It was an unique opportunity to be part of this project and learn so many things about Tikuna , their culture, rituals, and cultural material"

Find out more about the project here.