ABSTRACT
I will show that museums had an important ideological role to play in the process of colonialism and imperialism. The collection and handling of the essence of the museum, the objects themselves, needs to be understood with an emphasis on both synchronic and diachronic perspectives. The synchronic perspective is crucial to explain contemporary beliefs and scholarships which led to the acquisition of the material. On the other hand, an understanding of the diachronic perspective is imperative in understanding the consequences of the acquisition and subsequent research in a colonial and post-colonial context. The aim of this short chapter is to state my opinion concerning the acquisition, storage and handling of Aboriginal skeletal remains in Australia and overseas. I will attempt to do this by discussing the difficulties facing Aboriginal people in regaining control of this material. Furthermore, I will explore possible ways to remedy this situation.
