"Are you suggesting that NAGPRA is flawed?"

     Please don't put words in my mouth.  I never said that,
     and think that NAGPRA is a good law with quite well
     written regulations.

     I thought the phrasing of the original question:

     "...the question of whether aboriginal (indigenous)
     artefacts should or should not be returned to
     their rightful owners..."

     presumed that any aboriginal artifact in a museum
     collection must necessarily have a "rightful owner"
     other than the museum - this is a perception I often
     encounter, and with which I do not always agree.
     Perhaps the original poster should elaborate on what he
     meant so I don't misinterpret that.

     By "local law," I meant local to the situation - in the
     USA NAGPRA is the law, and I have worked hard to be
     sure that we are in compliance with the letter and
     spirit of the Act.

     Chris Dill

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C. L. Dill, Museum Director
State Historical Society of North Dakota
612 East Boulevard
Bismarck  ND  58505-0830    USA
P: (701)328-2666
F: (701)328-3710
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Visit our Web site at: http://www.state.nd.us/hist/
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