I enjoyed Jane's discussion and the questions she raised but despite
seeing their intellectual merits I cannot help reacting emotionally to this
issue. I do feel that it is wrong for the British museum to hold in its
collections the decapitated heads of bushmen hunted down as trophies.
Thes should certainly be returned to South Africa. I also have yet to hear
a convincing arguement for European museums to keep the wealth of
African culture within their storerooms not matter how perfect the
conservation condition are. Why should Africans be denied access to
their culture-which sadly many undervalue as it is. If Africans want to
take their heritage and use it in the day to day inactement of their modern
culture-can we really say that that is inappropriate use of world heritage
and lock it away for the priveleged few. I find the new arguement of
keeping the artefacts for the people of African descent in England
fascinating and food for thought but my immediate reaction is-you have
got to be kidding-to deny the rights of millions of people to their heritage
for the sake of a minority of people doesn't make sense. If museum sin
first worls/developed countries can afford to conserve their objects so
much better than African museums-would it not be possible for them to
donate the money or train the curators of Africna museum sto do the
same thus not only giving back to the  people of Africa their own heritage
but also building capacity amongst Africans.

I warned you that this was emotional.

On a more museological note-while I was in the UK the debate was
raging in the press about the Elgin Marbles and I was very disappointed
that inside the British museum absolutely no indication was given of this
debate. I thought that it would make a very interesting exhibtion ans d
would offer the museum an opportunity to air their side of the story and
keep people up to date with the issue.

Kathryn