Stephen Acabado

[Time Trowel] Archaeology's real legacy: Asking better questions about who we are When practiced critically, archaeology can right wrongs: by exposing colonial distortions, by challenging nationalist myths, by validating indigenous knowledge

‘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

[Time Trowel] The Ifugao Rice Terraces are 400 years old. That matters. The terraces were built by communities who responded to political and economic change with innovation and resolve. This is a story that should be front and center in our national narrative.

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

[Time Trowel] How Indonesian nutmeg built New York and reshaped the Philippines The nutmeg trade tells us how European expansion relied on disrupting existing Southeast Asian economies, often at the cost of indigenous communities

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!).

[Time Trowel] Adobo, and why ‘authentic’ is overrated Adobo predates Spanish colonization. It proves that Filipino food, like Filipino identity, has always been part of something bigger.

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

[OPINION] The Bahay Kubo and the making of the Filipino 'The quintessential Philippine garden is a product of global connections that started more than a thousand years ago'

So the next time someone talks about native ingredients, ask them—are we talking pre-Spanish, Spanish galleon trade, or post-war imports? Because even Bahay Kubo proves we’ve always been part of something bigger.

www.rappler.com/voices/ispea...

Thanks to Kristian Cordero, this idea now comes to life in the second edition of a beautifully illustrated picture book! This edition emphasizes the fact that being Filipino has never been about isolation; it’s about movement, connection, and a cosmopolitan past integrated into our everyday meals.

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

National Science Foundation freezes grant review in response to Trump executive orders The National Science Foundation has canceled all grant review panels this week. It's unclear how long the pause could last.

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...?

[Time Trowel] Hope from the past: Archaeology’s lessons for a sustainable future By examining the past, we gain insight into the diverse ways humans have navigated challenges, promoting empathy for different cultural practices and perspectives

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

It’s Time to Replace “Prehistory” With “Deep History” Archaeologists in Southeast Asia are pushing toward a deeper understanding of history that amplifies Indigenous and local perspectives.

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

[Time Trowel] Putting local voices at the center of academic research In academic research, indigenous voices have historically been excluded or marginalized, treating communities as subjects and not as partners

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...

[Time Trowel] Retire those flawed theories on how people first arrived in the Philippines These theories carry an undercurrent of colonial thinking, treating the Philippines as a place that always needed outsiders to 'civilize' it. One of them is included in the new Matatag curriculum for ...

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

[Time Trowel] From ancient artifacts to today's trash: Debunking misconceptions about archaeology 'Every coffee cup, every beer bottle, every tweet, is a breadcrumb in the trail of our collective story.... It’s a study of human life that invites everyone to the table — no time machine needed.'

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...

Is*! Apologies for the typo.

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

#discardingprehistory #Indigenoushistories