Arkeologi Untuk Semua: Bentuk Dan Prospek Pemanfaatnnya Di Papua. - Mahmud, M. Irfan (Pusat Penelitian Arkeologi Nasional, 2012)
Tulisan dalam setting Papua ini ingin memperlihatkan bahwa arkeologi dapat diharapkan ikut berperan menjembatani kebutuhan informasi masyarakat secara luas. Arkeologi memiliki dimensi luas: ideologis, akademis, dan praktis. Secara ideologis, arkeologi terkait dengan aspek kebutuhan dasar masyarakat, yakni identitas dan karakter. Dalam konteks Papua, ditemui banyak isu yang berkaitan dimensi arkeologi, seperti problem identitas budaya, hubungan historis kebangsaan, multikulturalisme, lemahnya muatan pendidikan karakter, rendahnya apresiasi stakeholder, komodifikasi, serta persoalan kebijakan pengembangan dan pemanfaatan sumberdaya arkeologi. Keterpaduan kegiatan penelitian dengan kepentingan masyarakat dalam konteks wilayah Papua dianggap merupakan salah satu koridor dalam membuka wawasan mengelola isu-isu tersebut. Dalam konteks isu-isu tersebut akan digambarkan bentuk dan prospek program arkeologi terhadap enam kelompok kepentingan di Papua, yaitu: (1) masyarakat umum; (2) pelajar dan guru; (3) anggota legislatif dan para eksekutif (termasuk birokrat); (4) penegak hukum; (5) manajer dan arkeolog; (6) masyarakat lokal. Pada intinya tulisan ini akan menggambarkan bahwa telah terjadi pergeseran implementasi arkeologi dari akademis ke publik. Karena itu, sumberdaya arkeologi merupakan komponen penting pembangunan masa kini dari sumber-sumber masa lalu yang dapat diorientasikan melayani kebutuhan masa kini untuk semua stakeholder. Abstract. This article in Papua setting is aimed to show that archaeology can fulfill its role as provider of information to society at large. Archaeology has broad dimensions, which are ideological, academic, and practical. Ideologically, archaeology is related to the basic needs of society, which are identity and character. In the context of Papua, there are plenty of issues regarding the dimensions of archaeology, such as the problem of cultural identity, historic relation of nationalism, multiculturalism, the weakness of character education, poor appreciation among stakeholders, commodification, as well as the problem of policies regarding the development and utilization of archaeological sources. The integration between research activities and public needs in the context of Papua is believed to be one of the corridors to open the insights in the management of those issues. In the context of those issues, this article will describe the forms and prospects of archaeological program on six interest groups in Papua: (1) the general public; (2) students and teachers; (3) members of legislative and executive boards (including bureaucrats); (4) law enforcement community; (5) managers and archaeologists; and (6) local communities. In essence, this article will illustrate that there has been a shift of archaeological implementation from academic to public. Therefore archaeological sources are among the important elements in present development based on resources of the past that can be oriented to serve the present needs for all stakeholders.