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About Me

Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Dela Kuma, had her Ph.D. in Anthropology from Northwestern University, focuses on African archaeology, ‘legitimate’ trade archaeology, and the Atlantic world. Her groundbreaking research explores the intriguing dynamics of consumer power and cultural shifts during the 19th-century global trade in Amedeka, Ghana. Through her work, Dr. Kuma sheds light on how local tastes and daily life shaped global scale economic exchanges and networks.

Dela is an expert in using advanced tools like archaeometry and archaeobotany to uncover valuable insights about ancient foodways, trade routes, and global exchange networks. 

Her extensive experience spans diverse archaeological projects in Nigeria, Portugal, Italy, Israel, and Russia. Dela’s contributions have been recognized through prestigious fellowships from Northwestern University, the Social Science Research Council’s Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship, and the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center Pre-Doctoral Award. These funding sources have enabled her to conduct groundbreaking research in her field.

Before pursuing a Ph.D. at Northwestern University, Dela graduated from Sapienza Universita di Roma, Italy, Universidad di Evora, Portugal, with an MSc. in Archaeological Materials Science and a B.A. in Archaeology and Heritage Studies with honors from the University of Ghana.

Education

Northwestern University, USA

Ph.D in Anthropology (2022)

Northwestern University, USA

M.A. in Anthropology (2017)

The Sapienza University of Rome, Italy & University of Evora, Portugal

MSc in Archaeological Materials Science (2016)

Kazan Federal University, Russia

Advanced Certificate in History of Ceramics

University of Ghana – Legon, Ghana

B.A. in Archaeology and Heritage Studies (Honors) (2013)

Research & Teaching Interests

African Atlantics, West African foodways, Food Security and Environmental (In)Justice, 19th-century Africa, Domestic Economies and Global trade, Public and Community Archaeology, Archaeological Science, Black Studies, and the African Diaspora.

Academic & Professional Appointments

Assistant Professor

Department of Anthropology

2023 - Present

University of Pittsburgh

Faculty Affiliate

Center for African Studies

2023 - Present

University of Pittsburgh

Visiting Scholar

Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory

2022

Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory

Senior Research Specialist

Archaeometry Laboratory

2021 - 2022

University of Missouri Research Reactor

Visiting Scholar

Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies

2020 - 2021

University of Ghana

Publications

  • Kuma, D. (in review). “ Trade Networks & Consumer Practices in Amedeka, Ghana: Negotiating “Nkudzedze” in 19th and early 20th Centuries.”
  • Kuma, D. (in prep). “Preliminary Report of Archaeological Fieldwork at Amedeka, southeastern Ghana.”
  • Kuma, D. (in prep). “Spatio-temporal distribution and consumption of Local Earthenwares from Southeastern Ghana.”
  • Kuma, D. (in prep). “Legitimate’ Trade and Daily Life in 19th-century Ghana.”

Fieldwork Experience

Principal Investigator

Amedeka Ethnoarchaeology Project (AAP), Ghana, 2015-present

Project Archaeobotanist

Ife-Sungbo Archaeology Project, Nigeria. Principal Investigator: Dr. Gerard Chouin, 2019.

Unit Supervisor

Manot Cave Archaeology Project, Western Galilee, Israel. Principal Investigators: Dr. Elisabetta Boaretto and Prof. Steve Weiner, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, 2015.

Field Supervisor

Krobo Mountains Archaeology Project, Ghana. Principal Investigator: Dr. William Gblekpor, University of Ghana, 2014.

Field Crew

Nkwantanso Ethnographic project, Techiman, Ghana. Principal Investigator: Prof. Raymond Silverman, University of Michigan, 2014.

Field Supervisor

Ethnoarchaeology of Ironworking and Economic Practices in Adome, Ghana. Principal Investigator: Prof. Kodzo Gavua, University of Ghana, 2013-2016.

  1. Senior Research Specialist of Archaeometry, University of Missouri Research Reactor Laboratory, 2021-2022.
  2. Macrobotanical Analyst, archaeobotanical materials from Banda, Ghana. Principal Investigator: Dr. Amanda Logan, 2019.
  3. Ceramic Analyst, Museo delle Origini Laboratory, Sapienza University of Rome. Principal Investigator: Prof. Marcella Frangipane, The Sapienza University of Rome, 2016.
  4. Ceramic Analyst, ceramics from Cacela Velha Poço Antigo, Herculus Archaeometry Laboratory, Evora-Portugal, 2015.
  1. Kuma, D. Legitimate Trade: Local Tastes & Consumer Power in Southeastern Ghana, Amedeka (19th to 20th C). Paper presented at the 26th SAfA Biennial Meetings, Houston-Texas, 2023.
  2. Kuma, D. Negotiating shifts in local productions and social life during ‘legitimate’ trade in Amedeka, Ghana (AD 1807-1900). Paper presented at the 25th SAfA Meetings, Oxford, 2020 (Canceled due to COVID-19).
  3. Kuma, D. The Relationship between Land use Dynamics and Foodways in Amedeka, Southeastern Ghana. Paper presented at the 15th PANAF Congress. Rabat, Morocco, 2018.
  4. Logan, A and Kuma, D. Foodscapes as Gendered Taskscapes in West Africa. Paper presented at the 83rd SAA Meetings, Washington DC, 2018.
  5. Kuma, D. Foodways in Atlantic Era West Africa – Ghana: Towards an Archaeology of Daily Life. Paper presented at the 83rd SAA Meetings, Washington DC, 2018.
  6. Kuma, D. Engendering Food Acquisition Practices: Rethinking Everyday Life in Ghana- An Ethnographic Case of Amedeka. Paper presented at the 24th SAfA Meetings, Toronto, 2018.
  7. Kuma, D. Foodways in Ghana-Amedeka. Paper presented at the African Seminar Annual Conference. Evanston-Illinois, USA, 2018.
  1. Fear of the #Woke University: A politics of exclusion. Invited speaker, Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh-Pennsylvania. April 11, 2023.
  2. It Tastes Like Home: Local Tastes and Consumer Practices in Southeastern Ghana. Invited speaker, Center of Comparative Archaeology’s Research Fair, University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh-Pennsylvania. April 14, 2023.
  3. Introduction to Paleoethnobotany, Guest Lecture, Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh-Pennsylvania. February 27, 2023.
  4. African Civilization, Kaplan Humanities Program, Northwestern University. Evanston-Illinois. February 25, 2019
  5. Thinking Like an Archaeologist. The Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston-Illinois. February 28, 2019.
  6. Interdisciplinary Gallery Talk. Caravans of Gold, Fragments in Time: Art, Culture, and Exchange across Medieval Saharan Africa. Exhibit at the Block Museum, Northwestern University, Evanston-Illinois. March 6, 2019.
  7. The Archaeology of Trade in Africa, Anthropology Department Freshman Seminar Series, Northwestern University, Evanston-Illinois. May 9, 2019.
  1. ANTH X: Community Archaeology & Public Engagement (created)  – SPRING 2023-4
  2. ANTH 1565: Archaeology of Foodways (created) – FALL 2023-4
  3. ANTH 1540: Africa & the World (created) – SPRING 2022-3
  4. ANTHRO 214: Archaeology – Unearthing Histories – FALL 2018, 2019
  5. ANTHRO 213: Biological Anthropology – Human Origins – WINTER 2019
  6. ANTHRO 215: Linguistic Anthropology – Culture through Language – WINTER 2018
  7. ANTHRO 255: African Studies – Contemporary African Worlds – FALL 2017
  1. The National Geographic Society Level I Grant ($20,000), 2023
  2. Gloria S. King Fellowship in Archaeology ($1,600), 2022
  3. University of Missouri Research Reactor NSF Pre-Doctoral Award ($14,400), 2021-2022
  4. Social Science Research Council Andrew Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship ($36,350), 2020-2021            
  5. The Black Trowel Collective Microgrants ($200), 2020
  6. Society of Africanist Archaeology Student Conference Travel Grant ($600), 2018
  7. Erasmus Mundus European Education and Culture Executive Agency Fellowship ($30,000), 2014-2016
  8. Graduate Fellowship, The Graduate School, Northwestern University ($34,176/year), 2016-2022
  9. The Graduate Research Grant, The Graduate School, Northwestern University ($2,975), 2021
  10. Morris Goodman Language Research Award, Program of African Studies, Northwestern University ($3,000), 2019
  11. The Program of African Studies Student Organized Conference Grant, Northwestern University ($1,000), 2019
  12. Morris Goodman Language Research Award, Program of African Studies, Northwestern University ($3,000), 2018
  13. Dissertation Research Award, The Buffett Institute, Northwestern University ($5000), 2018
  14. Hans E. Panofsky Pre-Dissertation Research Award, Program of African Studies, Northwestern University ($2000), 2018
  15. Graduate Student Conference Travel Award, Buffett Institute, Northwestern University ($400), 2018
  16. Program of African Studies Conference Travel Award, Northwestern University ($350), 2018
  17. Department of Anthropology, Graduate Conference Travel, Northwestern University ($350), 2018
  18. The Program of African Studies Student Organized Conference Grant, Northwestern University ($2,500), 2018
  19. Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities Student Organized Conference Grant, Northwestern University ($2,000), 2018
  20. The Graduate School Student Organized Conference Grant, Northwestern University ($1,500), 2018
  21. Hans E. Panofsky Pre-Dissertation Research Award, Program of African Studies, Northwestern University ($2000), 2017
  22. Morris Goodman Language Research Award, Program of African Studies, Northwestern University ($3,000), 2017
  23. LeCron Foster and Friends of Anthropology Research Grant, Northwestern University ($1,000), 2017
  24. Dissertation Research Award, The Buffett Institute, Northwestern University ($5000), 2017

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