Sir, Madam,

        I am currently a student in M.A. anthropology program in Laval University
(Quebec city). I am concerned about the relationship between museums and
native peoples in North America, so that I am writing to request if it
would be possible to interview you or members of your organization for my
research.
        The main objective of my project is to piece together the history of the
repatriation of native artifacts in order to explore the relationship
between museums and natives in political and intellectual contexts.
Moreover, this project will first attempt to define the notions of "ethnic
image" created by museums and of "cultural heritage" claimed by First
Nations, and then show how these notions were born in the history of
museology and anthropology. This should help analyze the content of
cultural policies established by Canadian and American museums, as well as
national and international legislation.


Name:
Institution:
Occupation:

In general, what role should museums play:

What are the main concerns and characteristics of ethnographic museums or
keepers of ethnographic collections:

What do you find most interesting in the study of the culture of Native
Peoples and in the elaboration of exhibits:

What do you think about the repatriation of cultural property:

Which claims do you think are used to initiate of the repatriation process:

What are the museums' main objectives or strategies regarding the
repatriation process

Do you think the repatriation process is only subordinate to Native Peoples
cultural necessities or to a true representation of the cultures of Native
Peoples:

How are museum practices influenced by Native claims - Do you pay
particular attention to these claims when studying or approaching native
cultures.

Do you find that museological knowledge, practices and experiences about
the cultures of Native Peoples are legitimate.

What elements do you find essential to enable effective cooperation between
 museums and Native Peoples

Which programs or resources did you implement or plan to implement in order
to facilitate this type of collaboration

Do you think museums are concerned enough with Native Peoples contemporary
cultural needs

Do you think museums are able to understand and represent the new cultural
and social needs of Native Peoples in organizing ethnographic exhibits

Do you think hiring Native Peoples as museum's personnel would make them
more aware of their culture.

What do you think about consulting Native communities regarding the
elaboration of ethnographic exhibits

Do you recognize Native Peoples need to manage their own patrimony

Do you think the content of exhibits is sufficiently comprehensible and
adapted to Native Peoples

Do you think the scientific and educational resources in museums are
readily available to Native Peoples communities

Do you feel it is normal that museums' actions concerning the management of
Native Peoples collections to be subjected to criticism or recommendations

If your museum was considering new ways of sharing responsibilities
regarding Native Peoples patrimony, which issues would you wish to discuss

Finally, do you think political influence on the part of Museum/Native
Peoples is closely linked to the repatriation of artifacts