I considered this problem when working with an African collection in a former job, wondering whether a female curator should be working with some of those materials (not that we had any other option). Then I found a squib in African Arts (I don't have the reference, unfortunately) in which a person who grew up in one of the traditional cultures there gave it as his opinion that when artifacts left their original context and became part of a collection in a Western museum, that act effectively de-consecrated them and therefore we shouldn't worry about it. As I remember, he was referring primarily to objects that were sold out; whether he felt the same would apply to objects that had been stolen or confiscated, I don't know.

In any case, given the state of African collecting, I figured at least half of what we had was never used in a religious context, anyway.

Janis Wilkens, Registrar
[log in to unmask]
Levine Museum of the New South
200 E. 7th Street, Charlotte, NC  28202
www.museumofthenewsouth.org
704.333.1887 x 257
704.333.1897 (fax)
 
Alternative contact:
[log in to unmask]
803.328.2734
 
Opinions expressed in this message may not represent the policies of the Levine Museum of the New South.

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sara Patel
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 9:46 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Sacred objects in museums

Members of the list may not find this piece of interest of sacred objects 
and access.

The censoring of our museums

Certain artefacts in the British Museum are deemed to have such
religious significance that the director himself cannot examine them,
and Australian male totems are barred from female eyes at the Hancock
Museum in Newcastle. Faith sensitivity is endangering free access to our
collections, argues Tiffany Jenkins


http://www.newstatesman.com/Arts/200507110035
 

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).