ABSTRACT
For many indigenous peoples, museums have been alienating and lifeless places that have appropriated and controlled their material culture and arts, particularly during colonial periods. From a Maori viewpoint expressed in the mid-1990s, this chapter considers the legacy left by traditional museum activity in New Zealand and explores how the legitimacy of museums among Maori people can be placed on a firmer footing and what needs to be considered if their future is to be justified. Central to all of this is a critical reflection on the relationship between the museums and the Maori people, both in terms of historical precedents and future visions. Here, the traditional function and role of the museum are challenged in terms of the power dynamics of who has been, and who should be, involved in knowledge production and meaning-making.
