Converging Dialogues #473 - Native America and First Peoples: A Dialogue with Kenneth Feder
Feb 12, 2026
Kenneth Feder, professor emeritus and archaeologist who writes on North American prehistory, offers a brisk tour of Native histories. He discusses labels for Indigenous peoples, critiques performative land acknowledgements, and reevaluates arrival dates with evidence like White Sands. Conversations cover migration routes, diverse adaptations and agriculture, complex societies, intertribal conflict, and the legacies of removal and boarding schools.
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From Brooklyn Kid To Archaeology Author
- Kenneth L. Feder recounts growing up in Brooklyn and visiting museums that sparked his interest in archaeology.
- He explains leaving academia to focus on writing and spending time with his young daughters.
No Single Label Fits All
- There is no single correct term for Native peoples because preferences vary by community and generation.
- Kenneth L. Feder emphasizes respect and defers naming choices to Native peoples themselves.
A Navajo Guide's Simple Preference
- Feder asked a Navajo guide which name he preferred and the guide answered 'Navajo.'
- The exchange underlines that most people prefer their specific nation name over umbrella labels.
