One archaeologist’s passion for cultural heritage

LOUISA Bhavita Daggers has always been passionate about unearthing rare and valuable cultural relics of bygone peoples and communities to learn about the past and understand Guyana’s diverse history.

Ever since she was a child, growing up in Mon Repos (East Coast Demerara), Daggers made a habit of watching exploration and adventure-themed programmes on the National Geographic Channel every Saturday with her younger sister, Ashley. She would beam with excitement from looking at archaeologists excavate sites in Brazil and Egypt and make other great discoveries such as the Egyptian and Mayan Pyramids, as well as listen in awe to the stories they told about the prehistoric civilisations behind the magnificent wonders.

“This was the beginning of my curiosity for history, culture and people,” she said. “I started wondering whether we had this in Guyana, and I wanted to know what was happening in communities.”
Driven by sheer energy and enthusiasm to explore, promote and preserve the country’s abundant cultural heritage, Daggers eventually embarked on a remarkable 16-year career in the local archaeological field.
“Simply put, archaeology is the study of ancient and recent pasts; as recent as the last 50 years,” said the 35-year-old archaeologist. She explained that the field seeks to highlight the way people lived in their societies, cultural traditions and customs they practised, daily activities they engaged in to sustain themselves and specific phenomena that occurred during those times.

From trekking up mountains across the vast Rupununi landscape to crossing steep terrains and crooked paths with lots of trees and vegetation on the banks of the Berbice River to making steady trips to and fro communities with rich cultural heritage, Daggers dedicates her time and resources toward finding cultural sites and connecting the past.

“Archaeology is about analysing artefacts or material culture such as stone tool, lithic flakes or pieces of potsherds from ceramic pottery, ecofacts like food remains found within the context of a site, human remains, and zoo archaeology material such as fish remains, shell midden and faunal remains,” she related.

Fueled by her inherent fondness for the field, Daggers decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Tourism Studies at the University of Guyana (UG) where she was provided with opportunities to explore the evolution of the Guyana National Museum, impacts of tourism and socio-economic viability of the museum, which was a critical area in cultural heritage management.

Ancient cultures
At the same time, Daggers recalled taking a course on the ‘Introduction to Indigenous People of Guyana.’ This course was instrumental to her understanding of Indigenous generations, languages, traditions and communities across the country. She was fascinated to learn about prehistoric petroglyphs- paintings, drawings and carvings on rocks used to depict messages found in places such as Aishalton (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo).

“For instance, there is the fish trap petroglyph that was linked to a period of severe drought thousands of years ago that signifies the kinds of fish traps people used in an area and the fishes they caught by the river,” noted Daggers.

Afterwards, she signed up for the Denis Williams Archaeology Field School in 2008 upon encouragement from her lecturers, namely, Jennifer Wishart, former Administrative Manager at the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology; Dr. Desiree Fox (deceased), former Minister within the Ministry of Education and Researcher at the Amerindian Research Unit (UG) and George Simon (deceased), former archaeologist and artist.

The field school was offered by the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology and Boise State University (Idaho) to facilitate robust capacity-building in the archaeology field and to raise awareness of cultural heritage for young enthusiasts like Daggers. It was an excellent opportunity to network with other archaeologists and build her expertise in uncovering past human societies and assessing the changes throughout the years.

Eventually, the experience and expertise she gained in the fields, from managing, curating, photographing, cataloguing and cleaning different collections, helped to play an integral role in her transition to become an Anthropological Assistant at the Guyana National Museum and subsequently, the Anthological Officer the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology.

To date, Daggers and her colleague Dr. Mark Plew, Professor of Anthropology at Boise State University and a non-resident archaeologist in Guyana for over 35 years, have carried out several archaeological research assessments on excavation sites in communities across the country’s administrative regions with the oldest remaining sites from prehistoric times.

Some of these communities include: Region 1 – Barima Waini (Wyva Creek, Little Kanaballi, Barabina and Waramuri); Region 2 – Pomeroon River (Siriki, Kabakaburi, Piraka, Simiri and Warapana); Region 6 – Berbice River (Dubulay Ranch, Canjie River, Wiruni Savannah); Region 9 – Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo (Karanambu Ranch, Waikin Ranch, Manari Ranch, Errol’s Landing – Iwokrama, Aishalton, Karawaimaan Taawa, Kwaitaro River, Shea, Rupunau, Karasabai and Pai Pang), to name a few.

According to Daggers, her main interest lies in prehistoric and historic terrestrial archaeology on land. Presently, she is also engaged in advocacy for the conservation of cultural heritage and site management. She is also conducting research on the mid-Holocene during the last 7,500 years to document the occurrences of climatic variations and examine human adaptations to changing environmental, and climatic conditions overtime.

“We have also been able to demonstrate vegetation consistency along the Northwestern coast to better understand fluctuating climate and environmental changes and how this impacts and impacted prehistoric coastal adaption of humans in relation to mobility, food resources, diets and so on,” she explained.

It’s all in the details
When in the fields, there are several essential pieces of equipment that Daggers ensures to keep at hand. These equipment are: a Global Positioning System (GPS), line level, tape measures, measuring rod, scale, brushes, trowels, shovels (shell midden shovels), sorting trays, artefact bags and standardised site forms to conduct surveys or document finds from excavation sites. Daggers further noted that before excavating a site, it is important to collaborate with communities to respect the rights of the community and operate within the legal guidelines for FPIC (Free, Prior and Informed Consent) as well as follow other international regulations for working with genetic materials as outlined by the Nagoya Protocol.

Furthermore, Daggers and her team of archaeologists also have an obligation to adhere to ethical guidelines and standards set out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Trust of Guyana. A field lab is usually set up to allow artefacts and other material culture to be meticulously documented, interpreted according to the context and catalogued by type, name, number and measurement statistics. These items are then categorised and stored in a database for archaeological material at the museum and the information is disseminated for public education.

“Most of the artefacts we excavated from the last 15 years or so are in the archives of the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology because we are still working with them to collect samples and do analyses,” she said.

Exciting finds
She disclosed that among the team’s most interesting discoveries include cupules, that are cup-like impressions found on rocks, which are perceived to have been made for ceremonial rituals. This was the first sighting of cupules in Guyana at a placed called Karawaimaan Taawa or Blue Mountain area in Aishalton that is home to the Wapishana people. As such, the team is currently assessing the context of cupules in the Wapishana territory.

“We are going to do an article on it later in the year that will be published,” Daggers mentioned.
Additionally, she shared a story about discovering new cultural sites and how archaeology can help to keep myths and legends alive. A few years ago, while conducting an archeological assessment of Karasabai to document and photograph an old fishing site, a colleague of hers fell ill after touching an artifact with the intention to conduct measurements against the cautionary tale of elders that ‘anyone who touches the site gets sick.’

Fortunately, her colleague recovers, however, it was revealed that the site was once used to process poisoning materials and there was a possibility that the stoneware was still contaminated by fish poison.
Moreover, Daggers also has training in underwater archaeology. She represented Guyana at the UNESCO Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) Convention in Jamaica that was held approximately 12 years ago. This convention was hosted in a bid to equip the Caribbean region with training on protection and management of underwater cultural heritage. However, she said there are a few limitations to the practice of underwater archaeology in Guyana due to lack of funding, difficult terrains and inadequate inter-organisational support.

As time progressed, Daggers attained a Master’s degree in Anthropology with a focus on archaeology and policy development at Boise State University (Idaho). She returned to Guyana and soon began investing her expertise in providing the necessary assistance and support on archaeological and historical cultural heritage and management to local, regional and international educational institutions.

Not all smooth sailing
On the other hand, Daggers outlined several challenges facing the local archaeological field. She said there is a lack of funding, resources and necessary facilities to carry out activities such as radiocarbon dating, material collection and processing, to name a few. Sometimes, her team would offset their own expenses. Another issue is the lack of material conservation and storage space that hinders the process of providing proper and adequate storage capacity for materials in order to avoid damage.

She also identified the need to have increased public awareness of archaeology in Guyana and the enforcement of stricter penalties to stop the illicit trade of cultural property belonging to Indigenous communities and to help eliminate the risks posed by mining, logging and rapid housing development on potential archaeological sites.

Most importantly, Daggers believes it is the opportune time to implement a comprehensive national policy that prioritises archaeology by introducing a transparent and detailed system and a governing body to manage and monitor archaeological researches conducted in Guyana. This policy will also support relevant and accurate information sharing of findings to the public and it will aim to facilitate increased collaborations between organisations such as the National Trust of Guyana, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) to strengthen the process of salvaging sites and archaeological remains.

A Cultural Legacy
“The Archaeology of Guyana has a special place in my heart. Some people even attribute it to being a love story to the Indigenous peoples of our country,” remarked Daggers.
Launched in July 2022, she pointed out that the second edition book titled ‘The Archaeology of Guyana,’ synthesises over a hundred years of archaeological research conducted in Guyana to provide a contextual understanding of how the country’s myriad cultures have evolved and adapted over the years.

“There are newer studies on the Amazon and the Rupununi inside the book, discussions and interpretations on shell midden complexes and isotope data to understand climate change, perspectives on the mid-Holocene and archaic population adaptation strategies, research on burial practices, ceramics and rock art in the Rupununi and so much more,” she highlighted.

The full-colour book was written by Daggers and her colleague Dr. Mark Plew, who initially wrote the first edition. She related that even though there are places in Guyana that remain untouched by archaeologists, the book provides a glimpse of the depth of local cultural heritage and the reasons for conservation.

Daggers shared that she was approached by Dr. Plew in 2016 to co-author a new edition of the book that can combine their many years of research in the field while she was working on a paper in relation to Aishalton. The duo ultimately set out to prepare a complete working document by 2018 and began collaborating with the University of Guyana Press, also called UG Press to have it printed and distributed. Although the reviewing and editing process was tedious, it gave them an additional eight months to make adjustments to the book.

Finally, they were able to select a cover image to add the final piece to the puzzle. She revealed that they decided to select a picture of Karasabai as the book’s cover because they wanted an image that ‘was a good example of a cultural landscape and represented the beauty of Guyana while speaking to all Guyanese.’ She further noted that the launch saw tremendous support from members of the public, the archaeological research community, National Toshaos Council (NTC), Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the diplomatic community.

The book is currently available for purchase at the University of Guyana Campus Store and the New Era Book Store. The team is currently engaged in additional collaboration with the ‘Visit Rupununi’ shop in Lethem.

Celebrating a legacy
In her view, ‘The Archaeology of Guyana’ celebrates the Indigenous cultural legacy and empowers marginalised groups. It builds collective Indigenous identity and contributes to enhanced commitment toward safeguarding and preserving cultural heritage in local communities. She also believes the book can contribute to the decolonisation process of improving access and availability to research conducted by resident Guyanese. It can also help foster greater consciousness and tolerance for history and culture and the regard for cultural materials among Guyanese instead of any ‘committing to sell our heritage.’

Nonetheless, Daggers emphasised that there is increased scope for archaeology in Guyana, particularly for students who wish to take an academic leap into the local archaeology and anthropology fields. “It’s great to know that the University of Guyana now offers an Associate Degree in Anthropology,” she said.

For Daggers, it brings her pure joy to immerse herself in preserving and promoting Guyana’s archaeology as well as contribute toward education on global cultural heritage. Today, her portfolio spans being a Researcher and Coordinator at the Amerindian Research Unit (University of Guyana) where she now lectures the course: ‘The Introduction to Indigenous People of Guyana.’ She is also responsible for coordinating the Associate degree in Anthropology programme and coordinating and co-supervising the Archaeology Field School.

Among her plethora of expertise, Daggers is also a Research Affiliate at the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, and she provides voluntary training, collection management and data exchange.
In addition to this, she also had the privilege of being co-editor of the Archaeology and Anthropology Journal of the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology. The journal is the only English-speaking Anthropology Journal in South America. Presently, Daggers is a Biodiversity Conservation (Archaeology) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate at the University of Guyana.

As Daggers continues to embark on new and exciting archaeological digs across the country, she is determined to uncover and understand the past cultural lives of generations and make significant connections to the history of Guyana.