ABSTRACT
The repatriation of sacred materials from museums to First Nations peoples of the New World is arguably the most complex, perplexing, and politically charged issue currently confronting curators of ethnology and the institutions in which they work. Embedded within the arguments over the possession of the objects are concerns about identity, power (social and political), and history. Museums, as bastions of knowledge and keepers of society’s material memory, often feel that their raison d’être is threatened by demands for repatriation. First Nations, as an underclass of society, find pride and meaning in these objects and the demands for repatriation can be read as demands for recognition as equal partners in society. While few curators, and fewer administrators, are at ease amid these discussions, it is unlikely that the debate will subside anytime soon. It is important that ideas and experiences be freely exchanged as the parameters continue to develop.
