Sarah,

You might contact museums with large holdings in this area. When I was
interning at the Montana Historical Society they were very carful with their
sacred objects. They asked elders from each tribe how they would like the
objects handled. A few of the things they did was to wrap sacred items in
red wool at the request of the tribes, and to keep them in seperate drawers
from other items and also, seperated by tribal allances. Sacred items from
traditional enemies were not kept in the same drawers.

I also know that at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln museum they place
corn meal in with the Kachinas at specific times of the year and also have
made special arrangements to house the Omaha's sacred pole as requested by
the tribe.

You might want to contact these museums for further information.

Also, in many cultures there are concerns with who can see certin objects
based on clan, sex, place in the menstral cycle. Just something else to
think about. But I think it is always helpful if you try to involve the
cultures that you are working with.

Mandy Langfald
Registrar/Collections Manager - The Danish Immigrant Museum
PO Box 470
2212 Washington
Elk Horn, IA 51531
712-764-7001   FAX 712-764-7002
[log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sarah moss" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 11:03 AM
Subject: Sacred artefacts in museums


> Dear all,
>
> I am looking at different ways of dealing with sacred artefacts in the
> museum context. Does anyone have any good examples, ideas for reading that
> might have some interesting case studies?
>
> I am keen to look at recent examples of maintaining the sacred aspect of
the
> object in the museum - either on display or in a kind of keeping place.
>
> Happy to hear about positive and problematic examples....
>
> All the best.
>
> Sarah
>
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