'Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb' on Netflix documents the all-Egyptian archaeological group exploring the history of the Saqqara necropolis.

This documentary brought to the fore what it means to decolonise research and archaeology.

It is by no coincidence that the team were entirely Egyptian, it was purposeful in so much that the exploration of one's own ancestry should be led by those who have the greatest connection to it, biologically, culturally and ancestrally. ⁣

The archaeologists muse on the fact that life today resembles the daily lives of their ancestors. The tools they use to unearth their history were the tools used by their ancestors to build the tombs. Their connection is deeper than the physical, it's spiritual and ancestral.

The screen grabs show the deep personal connection, care and respect that the archaeologists have in unearthing 4000+ years of hidden history. They discover artefacts that build the image of life in ancient Egypt, even finding a mummified lion - a first in the tombs of Egypt. ⁣

In our universities, many people ask, "well how do we decolonise research or science?" I'd answer that this documentary shows exactly how we begin. A lot of research carried out in the global south are led by academics and researchers from the West...

who are often (and more likely) given grants, resources, and have their work published in international journals than those with non-Anglicised names or indigenous to the lands being researched. ⁣

huge research trips in the global south are supported by local people with indigenous knowledge, without whom the research would fail - but the recognition both academically and in terms of remuneration echoes loudly of neo-colonial 'exploration.'

For example they are less likely to be named in published research, or remunerated in the way that an expert in the west may.⁣

I'd highly recommend watching this, and you too will notice how authentic and beautiful it is to watch indigenous people connect with their history.