Suchergebnisse

Abstract:This article explores the history of collecting and dealing in non-Western cultural objects—primarily from the Pacific Islands—from the earliest explorers to the modern auction houses. It considers international and domestic laws relating to indigenous cultural material that might be seen as religious or sacred in character and concludes that while these rules clearly influence both private and institutional practices they fall short of legally impacting the functioning of otherwise lawful markets.

New Zealand claims for the return of preserved tattooed Maori heads held by foreign institutions have revisited complex legal, ethical, and cultural questions surrounding human remains in museum and other institutional collections worldwide. Recent legislation in France that facilitates the return of Maori heads in French museums represents a further stage in this ongoing story.

In response to the emerging phenomenon of the role of nonstate actors in heritage protection and preservation, a one-day symposium took place on 16 March 2012 in the new Allard Hall building of the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. The conference was officially opened by Dean of Law, Professor Mary Anne Bobinski and received financial support from the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Law Conference Fund; the Pacific Northwest Canadian Studies Consortium; and Golder Associates Ltd. The conference brought together seven experts from both academia and practice to discuss contemporary practices and emerging legal and sociological trends in heritage protection by private actors.