Prior to COVID, museums were already struggling to remain relevant. Calls for decolonization have... more Prior to COVID, museums were already struggling to remain relevant. Calls for decolonization have compelled museums to examine colonial contributions and to assess a path forward that incorporates multiple narratives and attracts community engagement. In Canada, there have been few initiatives between museums and health care institutions to support local communities even though research has shown the efficacy of mental health and educational interventions in museum settings. In Canada, this is particularly important amongst rural populations and Indigenous communities where they often lack access to resources that are sensitive to individual cultures and experiences. The benefits of shifting focus to become a community institution as opposed to guardian of history will position the museum to become an essential resource thereby ensuring a more solid future path.
Museums have increasingly been exploring inclusion and diversity work and engaging in decolonizin... more Museums have increasingly been exploring inclusion and diversity work and engaging in decolonizing educational programming. Complicating this undertaking are the fraught and violent histories that live within many, if not most, museum collections. The Aboriginal peoples of Canada suffered from systemic cultural genocide for hundreds of years through treaties signed under false pretences, the pillaging and theft of sacred objects and human remains, and the devastating Sixties Scoop and Residential School system. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released a report with ninety-four calls to action that address the crimes committed against Indigenous populations. This paper examines whether Canadian museums should be obligated to participate in furthering decolonizing counter-narratives through the repatriation of Indigenous remains and sacred objects in accordance with TRC recommendations.
The growing outrage over the continued stewardship of artefacts acquired through nefarious means ... more The growing outrage over the continued stewardship of artefacts acquired through nefarious means has compelled cultural institutions to explore their role in marginalising cultures through misrepresentation. Indigenous communities around the globe are seeking the repatriation of sacred objects often collected through colonial violence. Though many museums have collaborated with communities to repatriate these artefacts, many have also avoided or refused repatriation requests, leaving communities without recourse. This paper will explore repatriation in the digital world through the lens of Cercle d'Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise's (CATPC) the quest for the return of an important Balot Pende sculpture from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and whether creating a digital iteration, like an Non-Fungible Token (NFT) of a sacred object, offers a potential activist tool to reclaim an alternate form of ownership when physical repatriation is not available.
The growing outrage over the continued stewardship of artefacts acquired through nefarious means ... more The growing outrage over the continued stewardship of artefacts acquired through nefarious means has compelled cultural institutions to explore their role in marginalising cultures through misrepresentation. Indigenous communities around the globe are seeking the repatriation of sacred objects often collected through colonial violence. Though many museums have collaborated with communities to repatriate these artefacts, many have also avoided or refused repatriation requests, leaving communities without recourse. This paper will explore repatriation in the digital world through the lens of Cercle d'Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise's (CATPC) the quest for the return of an important Balot Pende sculpture from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and whether creating a digital iteration, like an Non-Fungible Token (NFT) of a sacred object, offers a potential activist tool to reclaim an alternate form of ownership when physical repatriation is not available.
Museums have increasingly been exploring inclusion and diversity work and engaging in “decolonizi... more Museums have increasingly been exploring inclusion and diversity work and engaging in “decolonizing” educational programming. Complicating this undertaking are the fraught and violent histories that live within many museum collections. The Indigenous peoples of Canada continue to suffer from systemic cultural genocide, as they have for hundreds of years through treaties signed under false pretenses, the pillaging and theft of sacred objects and human remains, and the ongoing trauma from the devastating “Sixties Scoop” and Residential School system. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) released a report with ninety-four calls to action that address the crimes committed against Indigenous populations. This article will argue that the repatriation of Indigenous sacred objects and human remains is essential toward reconciliation efforts in Canada and that it is the obligation of the Canadian museums to work with Indigenous and government partners to further the TRC recommendations through repatriation.
The role of museums has expanded beyond the responsibility as guardians and caretakers of histori... more The role of museums has expanded beyond the responsibility as guardians and caretakers of historic artefacts. A growing body of research has demonstrated the benefits of exposure to cultural programming on various areas of wellbeing. These institutions are an under-utilized resource with the potential to contribute to the wellbeing of all their visitors and ease the struggling of others. With a steady flow of migration leading to growing immigrant populations, museums can partner with community organizations to facilitate the settlement process and improve the health and wellbeing of immigrant and refugee groups in priority communities.
Prior to COVID, museums were already struggling to remain relevant. Calls for decolonization have... more Prior to COVID, museums were already struggling to remain relevant. Calls for decolonization have compelled museums to examine colonial contributions and to assess a path forward that incorporates multiple narratives and attracts community engagement. In Canada, there have been few initiatives between museums and health care institutions to support local communities even though research has shown the efficacy of mental health and educational interventions in museum settings. In Canada, this is particularly important amongst rural populations and Indigenous communities where they often lack access to resources that are sensitive to individual cultures and experiences. The benefits of shifting focus to become a community institution as opposed to guardian of history will position the museum to become an essential resource thereby ensuring a more solid future path.
Museums have increasingly been exploring inclusion and diversity work and engaging in decolonizin... more Museums have increasingly been exploring inclusion and diversity work and engaging in decolonizing educational programming. Complicating this undertaking are the fraught and violent histories that live within many, if not most, museum collections. The Aboriginal peoples of Canada suffered from systemic cultural genocide for hundreds of years through treaties signed under false pretences, the pillaging and theft of sacred objects and human remains, and the devastating Sixties Scoop and Residential School system. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released a report with ninety-four calls to action that address the crimes committed against Indigenous populations. This paper examines whether Canadian museums should be obligated to participate in furthering decolonizing counter-narratives through the repatriation of Indigenous remains and sacred objects in accordance with TRC recommendations.
The growing outrage over the continued stewardship of artefacts acquired through nefarious means ... more The growing outrage over the continued stewardship of artefacts acquired through nefarious means has compelled cultural institutions to explore their role in marginalising cultures through misrepresentation. Indigenous communities around the globe are seeking the repatriation of sacred objects often collected through colonial violence. Though many museums have collaborated with communities to repatriate these artefacts, many have also avoided or refused repatriation requests, leaving communities without recourse. This paper will explore repatriation in the digital world through the lens of Cercle d'Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise's (CATPC) the quest for the return of an important Balot Pende sculpture from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and whether creating a digital iteration, like an Non-Fungible Token (NFT) of a sacred object, offers a potential activist tool to reclaim an alternate form of ownership when physical repatriation is not available.
The growing outrage over the continued stewardship of artefacts acquired through nefarious means ... more The growing outrage over the continued stewardship of artefacts acquired through nefarious means has compelled cultural institutions to explore their role in marginalising cultures through misrepresentation. Indigenous communities around the globe are seeking the repatriation of sacred objects often collected through colonial violence. Though many museums have collaborated with communities to repatriate these artefacts, many have also avoided or refused repatriation requests, leaving communities without recourse. This paper will explore repatriation in the digital world through the lens of Cercle d'Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise's (CATPC) the quest for the return of an important Balot Pende sculpture from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and whether creating a digital iteration, like an Non-Fungible Token (NFT) of a sacred object, offers a potential activist tool to reclaim an alternate form of ownership when physical repatriation is not available.
Museums have increasingly been exploring inclusion and diversity work and engaging in “decolonizi... more Museums have increasingly been exploring inclusion and diversity work and engaging in “decolonizing” educational programming. Complicating this undertaking are the fraught and violent histories that live within many museum collections. The Indigenous peoples of Canada continue to suffer from systemic cultural genocide, as they have for hundreds of years through treaties signed under false pretenses, the pillaging and theft of sacred objects and human remains, and the ongoing trauma from the devastating “Sixties Scoop” and Residential School system. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) released a report with ninety-four calls to action that address the crimes committed against Indigenous populations. This article will argue that the repatriation of Indigenous sacred objects and human remains is essential toward reconciliation efforts in Canada and that it is the obligation of the Canadian museums to work with Indigenous and government partners to further the TRC recommendations through repatriation.
The role of museums has expanded beyond the responsibility as guardians and caretakers of histori... more The role of museums has expanded beyond the responsibility as guardians and caretakers of historic artefacts. A growing body of research has demonstrated the benefits of exposure to cultural programming on various areas of wellbeing. These institutions are an under-utilized resource with the potential to contribute to the wellbeing of all their visitors and ease the struggling of others. With a steady flow of migration leading to growing immigrant populations, museums can partner with community organizations to facilitate the settlement process and improve the health and wellbeing of immigrant and refugee groups in priority communities.
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