"Are you suggesting that NAGPRA is flawed?"
Please don't put words in my mouth. I never said that,
and think that NAGPRA is a good law with quite well
written regulations.
I thought the phrasing of the original question:
"...the question of whether aboriginal (indigenous)
artefacts should or should not be returned to
their rightful owners..."
presumed that any aboriginal artifact in a museum
collection must necessarily have a "rightful owner"
other than the museum - this is a perception I often
encounter, and with which I do not always agree.
Perhaps the original poster should elaborate on what he
meant so I don't misinterpret that.
By "local law," I meant local to the situation - in the
USA NAGPRA is the law, and I have worked hard to be
sure that we are in compliance with the letter and
spirit of the Act.
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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