Community-based archaeology reinforces Indigenous cultural resilience to climate change in Alaska

Abstract

In this perspective I argue that in an era of climate crisis and persistent colonial injustice, archaeology can no longer remain neutral; it must align with the objectives of disempowered groups. As the Arctic warms at four times the global average, recent U.S. executive actions prioritising fossil fuel extraction disproportionally impact Native communities in Alaska, directly extending colonial legacies. Resilience and strength to cope with change is identified in traditional values and continuation of cultural practices. While the effects of climate change are seen in the physical destruction of ancestral sites by escalating coastal erosion and permafrost degradation, community-embedded archaeology has the potential to strengthen these ties. By validating Indigenous knowledge systems, archaeology can be repositioned as a political ally in the pursuit of environmental justice. In a collaborative environment, archaeological practice serves as a medium for strengthening deep-time ancestral connections, mobilising against systemic climate inaction, and advocating for just futures in a landscape increasingly in flux. Indigenous communities and ancestral heritage in Alaska face escalating climate threats. This Perspective argues that, by validating Indigenous knowledge systems, archaeology can help sustain intergenerational resilience.