Playthings for the Foe: The Repatriation of Human Remains in New Zealand

Abstract

The repatriation of human remains in New Zealand is occurring today in a co-operative, low-profile manner, while in most other parts of the world it attracts high publicity, debate and antagonism. It is shown that the situation in New Zealand is fundamentally different because aspects of Maori culture influenced the kind of remains sought, the way they were collected and also the political and cultural development of the country, so that today Maori are in a much stronger position in their own country than are other indigenous populations around the world. The repatriation movement is thus to a large degree controlled by Maori, whereas other indigenous peoples often require media attention and government intervention in order to achieve their aims, if they are able to at all. It is argued that other colonial countries and their museums first need to solve fundamental issues involving internal intercultural relations before they will be able to move forward in a positive, co-operative manner with repatriation.