‘Nuff said. Archaeology’s real work is not in shoring up nationalist myths but in asking better questions about identity, diversity, and who gets to tell history.

shorturl.at/marmY

Why does the dating of the Ifugao Rice Terraces matter? They’re not 2,000 years old, as once assumed, but likely about 400 years old, built in response to Spanish colonialism. Getting history right strengthens identity and pride.
shorturl.at/993lu

What do balikbayan boxes tell us about heritage, migration, and memory? My latest Time Trowel piece explores the stories packed inside these cardboard containers.
Read here: shorturl.at/d0Pte

#BalikbayanBox #FilipinoDiaspora #TimeTrowel #Heritage

In my conquest and colonialism class, we traced how Southeast Asia’s nutmeg shaped empires. The Dutch even traded Manhattan for Rhun, an island in Indonesia. Extraction built cities like New York while exploiting Southeast Asia. Read about it here: shorturl.at/0Topc

Mapping what we eat helps us remember where we come from, what grows around us, and how people have adapted to changing environments over time. It’s also a great way to share healthy, local recipes (and avoid losing them!).

shorturl.at/4OwIZ

Writing this week’s essay reminded me why food mapping matters.

Mapping what we eat helps us remember where we come from, what grows around us, and how people have adapted to changing environments over time. It’s also a great way to share healthy, local recipes (and avoid losing them!).

The search for a “true” adobo misses the point -- its diversity reflects centuries of connections, trade, and adaptation. From vinegar traditions in the islands to Spanish influences and global tweaks, adobo is a dish shaped by movement, not a fixed origin.

shorturl.at/2oZ8r

The Filipino children’s song, Bahay Kubo, is a historical record of how the Filipino kitchen (and identity) has always been global. When I first wrote about it, I argued that our backyard vegetables tell a story of centuries of maritime trade, cultural exchange, and adaptation.

Every artifact has a story—one that’s deeply tied to the culture it comes from. But what happens when these pieces are taken without respect for their origins?
Today's Time Trowel column delves into the importance of preserving cultural heritage with integrity and respect. shorturl.at/m2xsd

The ongoing attack on education, knowledge, and science in full force. This war on learning is dangerous and impacts us all. #EducationMatters #ScienceMatters

www.npr.org/sections/sho...?

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it can teach us valuable lessons. Archaeology shows us how past communities adapted and thrived—proof that we can learn from the past to build a better future. Read more in the latest Time Trowel column: shorturl.at/OE7ag

Excited to share our latest essay for Sapiens, challenging “prehistory” narratives in Southeast Asia and highlighting the dynamic role of Indigenous communities in shaping the region’s deep history.

www.sapiens.org/archaeology/...

#southeastasia #archaeology #decolonizing #indigenoushistories

Sharing the December 1 Time Trowel essay on ways to decolonize scholarship. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but the most important step is taking that first move to engage the communities that matter.

www.rappler.com/voices/thoug...

Why it’s time to retire flawed stories about the first arrivals in the Philippines. The seas weren’t barriers—they were bridges, connecting people, cultures, and ideas for millennia. Let’s embrace narratives that reflect this dynamic history.

www.rappler.com/voices/thoug... #PhilippineHistory

Archaeology is not just anout the past.

#ArchaeologyofthePresent #NotJustAboutthePast #Rappler

www.rappler.com/voices/thoug...

Here goes nothin'! 😁🌟 Excited to kick off the very first entry of the Time Trowel series! This is going to be a once-a-month column featured on Rappler (big shoutout to Rappler for this amazing opportunity!). 🚀🕰️ #TimeTrowel #HistoryFun #rapplercolumn

www.rappler.com/voices/thoug...

When the term prehistory in inappropriate: www.rappler.com/voices/thoug...

#discardingprehistory #Indigenoushistories