In this interview, Jeremy Dennis, lead artist of Ma's House, converses with Megan Hicks, March 2025 resident and archaeologist. Megan explores community ecologies within colonial and capitalistic transformations, focusing on traditional practices in Iceland and Black enclaves in the northeastern United States, especially during the 19th century. She collaborates with native communities to protect heritage sites using excavation, zooarchaeology, and archival research, often through counter-mapping—an approach emphasized in her work with the Ramapo community in New Jersey to protect endangered land with historical significance.

Megan discusses her current book, 'Exposing Erasure: Archaeologies of Marginalization and Resilience in the Northeast,' focusing on the Dunker Hook community and its landscape use. An advocate for the importance of land reclamation and preservation, she shares her experiences at Shinnecock and her support against Indigenous land encroachment. Megan also highlights her pedagogical approach, encouraging Shinnecock youth to engage in archaeology. During her week-long residency at Ma's House, she conducted workshops on counter-mapping and connected with the community, sharing insights on challenges and the significance of engaged archaeology.