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Date: | Thu, 21 Jan 1999 08:47:00 -0600 |
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"...The question of how, when, and where the indigenous
objects were obtained creates a mine-field of both
legal and moral dimensions..."
That was well said, and I agree completely. The matter
DOES require serious consideration from a variety
perspectives. I don't think there is a simple answer
applicable to all cases, except perhaps that museum
folk should/must afford indigenous people's claims the
right to serious examination and consideration in such
matters. My knee-jerk reaction to your original post
was in response to the implication that original owners
were always still "rightful" owners.
Even the car analogy, presuming that you sold it to me
outright and with no liens or other encumbrances,
doesn't always work. In ND if a person under 21 years
of age sells something, he/she can state they didn't
understand the matter and re-claim the sold item (and
return the purchase price) until they ARE 21. We found
that out the hard way when we accepted an artifact
donation from a 16 year old. She later changed her
mind and the lawyers held that we had to return the
item even though we'd gotten the teenager's mother to
countersign the deed of gift. We no longer accept
donations from people under 21.
Good luck.
Chris Dill
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C. L. Dill, Museum Director
State Historical Society of North Dakota
612 East Boulevard
Bismarck ND 58505-0830 USA
P: (701)328-2666
F: (701)328-3710
E: [log in to unmask]
Visit our Web site at: http://www.state.nd.us/hist/
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