State Remembering of the Indigenous Past and the Politics of Atacameño Memory

Th is paper presents a refl ection about the role of heritage and archaeological discourses in the construction of the indigenous past in Chile. Specifi cally, I discuss the use and manipulation that the  State makes of these discourses in order to create, naturalize, control and direct the indigenous past. Th e paper also explores how ethnic groups internalize these hegemonic ways of building their past. This  problem is addressed from the perspective of three actors in the process: the State, archaeologists and Indigenous People. The focus will be put on the regional atacameño level and on a national scope.

Key words: Heritage, Archaeology, Indigenous, Memory, Atacameño People.