> This is a fascinating topic. But, it seems to me that some of these comments >can be characterized as rather bigoted. The Egyptian people don't seem to feel >this way about the dead. And as I recall, the display of skeletal remains is >common in Mexico, The Vatican and many other countries. In portions of >Polynesia, in fact, it was common practice to consume and/or desecrate the >remains of the enemy dead. I believe this was true of some Native American >peoples as well. Should this not be interpreted and given equal emphasis in a >museum on Native Americans ? Perhaps the issue is not so cut and dried as Mr. >Apodaca claims. My personal feeling is that we should respect the wishes of >the descendants of the people concerned, but should we hide the truth and >should we impose our beliefs and values on other peoples ? This smacks to me >of mater/paternalism regardless of its origin. Robert >Mr Apodaca: > >If all curators agreed on the subject, why are so many replying with >technical suggestions about how to display the remains in these >micro-climates? While I may agree with you on this issue, it seems that your >colleagues don't all hold the same view. Why aren't the remains of an >ancient Egyptian treated in the same manner as the remains of a Native >American by all professionals in your field? > >Wendy Botting >Cornell University > > > > >In message Wed, 17 Aug 1994 16:48:38 -0800, > Paul Apodaca <[log in to unmask]> writes: > >> Wendy Botting writes: >> >> >>> Any comments from curators at the Smithsonian or from U. Penn's >>> archaeology museum? I'm sure this issue is not as cut-and-dried (bad >>> metaphor) as Mr. Prouty suggests. >>> >> >> I have been a principal consultant for NMAI and do not know of any >> exhibition plans that would contradict Mr. Prouty. As a curator with 15 >> years service, I know of no need to exhibit the type of material in >> question. As a Navajo, I can find numerous religious reasons for >> respecting the dead. If this issue is not cut-and-dried, it should be. I >> believe Mr. Prouty is speaking from the best stance one can take on this >> issue. >> Paul Apodaca >> Curator of Native American Art >> Bowers Museum >> Santa Ana, CA >> Paul Apodaca >> Robert O. Dahl Interpretation and Conceptual Exhibit Design Ph:(602) 797-4752 8421 N. Via Tioga Tucson, AZ 85704 internetaddress:[log in to unmask] AOL: [log in to unmask]