In an increasingly globalised world, integrating migrant communities into host societies poses significant challenges and opportunities. Archaeology and play can contribute significantly to addressing these issues, as cultural heritage can serve as a tool for shaping identities and promoting social cohesion in diverse societies (Holtorf, Pantazatos and Scarre 2019), and games, as a recognised universal medium, can bridge differences among players and serve as a shared language to promote integration (International Organization for Migration 2021). However, existing game projects related to migration often target non-migrant audiences, aiming to foster empathy, promote acceptance, or highlight the migrants’ journeys and challenges (Martins et al. 2024), with few (if any) researches focusing on games designed explicitly for migrant communities themselves, especially in connection to archaeological heritage. Recognizing this gap, our project, funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan as part of the Next Generation EU program, adopted a highly experimental approach. Developed by a multidisciplinary team of three archaeologists and a sociologist from the University of Bari, the initiative aimed to promote the cultural integration of migrant communities through the use of archaeological heritage and playful engagement. The project centred on the archaeological site of Siponto (Manfredonia, Italy) and involved groups of immigrants and refugees in co-creative, hands-on experiences to foster cultural understanding and learning through participatory action research. This paper presents a distinctive aspect of the project, focusing on how playfulness was applied. The initiative’s experimental nature was driven by direct fieldwork with the migrant communities involved, making it a unique exploration at the intersection of gaming, heritage, and social integration. Project Overview: Adaptation and Co-Creation The project used archaeogaming as a framework to promote interaction, cultural cohesion, and mutual understanding. Through workshops involving ancient pottery reproduction, photography and site visits, participants engaged with archaeological artefacts and narratives, making heritage an interactive bridge between the past and their experiences in the host country. Language acquisition emerged immediately as a primary need, as many migrants had limited proficiency in Italian, hindering their social integration. To address this, we prioritised language learning through play, enabling participants to learn Italian while engaging with archaeological content (Game On project, https://gameonproject.eu/). After each workshop focused on local archaeology themes, we organised a memory game that required players to match images related to the session’s topics with the corresponding Italian words. This approach aimed to make language learning engaging and enjoyable, allowing for low pressure vocabulary practice. To ensure inclusivity and maximize participation, we selected a simple card game structure, steering clear of complex designs that could exclude individuals based on skill or other obstacles. This simplicity allowed everyone to engage equally, fostering collaboration and participation. Play became essential for facilitating interaction and breaking down barriers, providing a space for everyone to connect. We worked in a co-creative environment with two groups of migrants, each with different backgrounds and integration levels, enabling them to actively shape the games and activities. The first group consisted solely of Afghan refugees facing significant language barriers. With the help of a linguistic-cultural mediator, we simplified the original game, used visual aids, and connected Italian words to their native language, making the content more accessible. The second group included individuals from Bangladesh, Ukraine, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. Since many were employed and had a better grasp of Italian, in this case, we increased the difficulty of the original game. For instance, participants were tasked with recomposing sentences about the archaeological site, fostering their language skills through this more challenging experience. Preliminary Outcomes and Next Steps: Towards a Digital Game One of the most significant outcomes was how playfulness and fun facilitated social integration. Participants who were initially hesitant or distracted became—unexpectedly—active and confident as the gaming format encouraged interactions that broke down traditional roles between archaeologists and migrants. For example, Afghan participants felt confident in reversing the roles and challenging us to translate words from their native language into Italian, creating an egalitarian—“modded”—learning environment. This exchange fostered trust and mutual respect and promoted language skills along with archaeological knowledge. The act of play proved essential for breaking down barriers of difference. It provided a space where participants could share their cultural identities while learning about local archaeological heritage and culture. Through this process, migrants did not just receive knowledge—they actively shaped it, contributing their perspectives and enriching the collective experience. Preliminary findings gathered from observations and a post-project survey revealed that the gaming experience greatly enhanced participants’ engagement with their new environment. They reported increased knowledge of the archaeological site of Siponto and a stronger sense of community belonging. Many cited the playful aspects of the project as their favourite part, highlighting the effectiveness of games as both educational and integrative tools. Participants could express their cultural identities through play while engaging in shared experiences, fostering dialogue and collaboration. The co-creative process empowered them to take ownership of their learning and integration journey, strengthening their sense of agency. The lessons learned from the analogue experiment are now being applied to develop a digital game version. This app will feature single-player and multiplayer modes with varying difficulty levels to suit different language proficiencies. It will not only serve migrant communities—as initially planned—but also allow Italian players to learn words and phrases in Dari, Bengali, English, and French. This reciprocal language exchange aims to foster mutual understanding and promote true cultural integration. The digital version will build on the outcomes of the analogue experiment, reflecting the unorthodox and experimental spirit of archaeogaming, often stepping beyond traditional academic boundaries (Politopoulos, Mol and Lammes 2023, 10). Given the scarcity of similar projects in the literature, this project stands out as a rare exploration of heritage and gaming for cultural integration. By incorporating lessons from the field, the digital version will offer an even more inclusive and adaptable tool, potentially extending to other archaeological sites and languages, setting a model for future integration efforts. Play, Heritage, and Integration: the Journey Ahead This project demonstrates the transformative power of play and archaeological heritage in fostering cultural integration among migrant communities. By co-creating playful experiences that celebrate diversity and stimulate mutual understanding, we have built bridges between cultures and fostered a sense of belonging for all participants. In this sense, we can cite Graham (2020) when he states, “[…] the ethics of archaeogaming are the ethics of (digital) public archaeology”. Moving forward, we aim to expand this initiative by partnering with local organizations and institutions to implement similar projects in other contexts. Integrating play, archaeogaming, and participatory approaches offers a promising pathway for addressing the complexities of migration and cultural diversity while also fostering opportunities for migrants to explore potential careers within the archaeological heritage and tourism sectors. Our project calls for continued exploration of playful methods in archaeological heritage to engage migrant communities, celebrating their contributions while promoting understanding and collaboration within contemporary societies.
Archaeological Heritage and Play: Co-Creating Pathways for Cultural Integration Among Migrant Communities
Samanta Mariotti
2025-01-01
Abstract
In an increasingly globalised world, integrating migrant communities into host societies poses significant challenges and opportunities. Archaeology and play can contribute significantly to addressing these issues, as cultural heritage can serve as a tool for shaping identities and promoting social cohesion in diverse societies (Holtorf, Pantazatos and Scarre 2019), and games, as a recognised universal medium, can bridge differences among players and serve as a shared language to promote integration (International Organization for Migration 2021). However, existing game projects related to migration often target non-migrant audiences, aiming to foster empathy, promote acceptance, or highlight the migrants’ journeys and challenges (Martins et al. 2024), with few (if any) researches focusing on games designed explicitly for migrant communities themselves, especially in connection to archaeological heritage. Recognizing this gap, our project, funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan as part of the Next Generation EU program, adopted a highly experimental approach. Developed by a multidisciplinary team of three archaeologists and a sociologist from the University of Bari, the initiative aimed to promote the cultural integration of migrant communities through the use of archaeological heritage and playful engagement. The project centred on the archaeological site of Siponto (Manfredonia, Italy) and involved groups of immigrants and refugees in co-creative, hands-on experiences to foster cultural understanding and learning through participatory action research. This paper presents a distinctive aspect of the project, focusing on how playfulness was applied. The initiative’s experimental nature was driven by direct fieldwork with the migrant communities involved, making it a unique exploration at the intersection of gaming, heritage, and social integration. Project Overview: Adaptation and Co-Creation The project used archaeogaming as a framework to promote interaction, cultural cohesion, and mutual understanding. Through workshops involving ancient pottery reproduction, photography and site visits, participants engaged with archaeological artefacts and narratives, making heritage an interactive bridge between the past and their experiences in the host country. Language acquisition emerged immediately as a primary need, as many migrants had limited proficiency in Italian, hindering their social integration. To address this, we prioritised language learning through play, enabling participants to learn Italian while engaging with archaeological content (Game On project, https://gameonproject.eu/). After each workshop focused on local archaeology themes, we organised a memory game that required players to match images related to the session’s topics with the corresponding Italian words. This approach aimed to make language learning engaging and enjoyable, allowing for low pressure vocabulary practice. To ensure inclusivity and maximize participation, we selected a simple card game structure, steering clear of complex designs that could exclude individuals based on skill or other obstacles. This simplicity allowed everyone to engage equally, fostering collaboration and participation. Play became essential for facilitating interaction and breaking down barriers, providing a space for everyone to connect. We worked in a co-creative environment with two groups of migrants, each with different backgrounds and integration levels, enabling them to actively shape the games and activities. The first group consisted solely of Afghan refugees facing significant language barriers. With the help of a linguistic-cultural mediator, we simplified the original game, used visual aids, and connected Italian words to their native language, making the content more accessible. The second group included individuals from Bangladesh, Ukraine, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. Since many were employed and had a better grasp of Italian, in this case, we increased the difficulty of the original game. For instance, participants were tasked with recomposing sentences about the archaeological site, fostering their language skills through this more challenging experience. Preliminary Outcomes and Next Steps: Towards a Digital Game One of the most significant outcomes was how playfulness and fun facilitated social integration. Participants who were initially hesitant or distracted became—unexpectedly—active and confident as the gaming format encouraged interactions that broke down traditional roles between archaeologists and migrants. For example, Afghan participants felt confident in reversing the roles and challenging us to translate words from their native language into Italian, creating an egalitarian—“modded”—learning environment. This exchange fostered trust and mutual respect and promoted language skills along with archaeological knowledge. The act of play proved essential for breaking down barriers of difference. It provided a space where participants could share their cultural identities while learning about local archaeological heritage and culture. Through this process, migrants did not just receive knowledge—they actively shaped it, contributing their perspectives and enriching the collective experience. Preliminary findings gathered from observations and a post-project survey revealed that the gaming experience greatly enhanced participants’ engagement with their new environment. They reported increased knowledge of the archaeological site of Siponto and a stronger sense of community belonging. Many cited the playful aspects of the project as their favourite part, highlighting the effectiveness of games as both educational and integrative tools. Participants could express their cultural identities through play while engaging in shared experiences, fostering dialogue and collaboration. The co-creative process empowered them to take ownership of their learning and integration journey, strengthening their sense of agency. The lessons learned from the analogue experiment are now being applied to develop a digital game version. This app will feature single-player and multiplayer modes with varying difficulty levels to suit different language proficiencies. It will not only serve migrant communities—as initially planned—but also allow Italian players to learn words and phrases in Dari, Bengali, English, and French. This reciprocal language exchange aims to foster mutual understanding and promote true cultural integration. The digital version will build on the outcomes of the analogue experiment, reflecting the unorthodox and experimental spirit of archaeogaming, often stepping beyond traditional academic boundaries (Politopoulos, Mol and Lammes 2023, 10). Given the scarcity of similar projects in the literature, this project stands out as a rare exploration of heritage and gaming for cultural integration. By incorporating lessons from the field, the digital version will offer an even more inclusive and adaptable tool, potentially extending to other archaeological sites and languages, setting a model for future integration efforts. Play, Heritage, and Integration: the Journey Ahead This project demonstrates the transformative power of play and archaeological heritage in fostering cultural integration among migrant communities. By co-creating playful experiences that celebrate diversity and stimulate mutual understanding, we have built bridges between cultures and fostered a sense of belonging for all participants. In this sense, we can cite Graham (2020) when he states, “[…] the ethics of archaeogaming are the ethics of (digital) public archaeology”. Moving forward, we aim to expand this initiative by partnering with local organizations and institutions to implement similar projects in other contexts. Integrating play, archaeogaming, and participatory approaches offers a promising pathway for addressing the complexities of migration and cultural diversity while also fostering opportunities for migrants to explore potential careers within the archaeological heritage and tourism sectors. Our project calls for continued exploration of playful methods in archaeological heritage to engage migrant communities, celebrating their contributions while promoting understanding and collaboration within contemporary societies.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
