World Archaeology

Collections as Connections

The repatriation of museum, institutional and private collections of cultural heritage is increasingly serving as a powerful process for decolonisation and truth telling, and the restitution of dignity and indigenous sovereignty. Similarly, the returning of collections between indigenous heritage practitioners and communities has demonstrated enriching prospects for cross-cultural learning, intergenerational healing, sharing of curatorial knowledge and the development of exchange programmes. The unconditional return of ancestral human remains and the opening of doors for greater access and dialogue between material collection holders and source communities is an ethical and meaningful way forward.

But what course of action should be taken when a source community responds that they are not ready for the return of a collection? This may be due to various reasons, for example, in the case of countries of the Global South, national museums often having limited resourcing, training and facilities to effectively curate delicate objects. Should the foreign institution simply hold on to the collection until the source country or community is ready? And what if this process takes decades? Additionally, what if the source country is at risk of war or sinking due to climate change-related sea level rise which may result in the destruction of that heritage? Ethically, who is entitled to make these decisions and what other considerations can be made to benefit descendent or diasporic communities residing in foreign countries who can access these collections?

This Issue recognizes the historically and politically contentious but vital role museums and collection holders play in linking people with their ancestral, historical or national heritage. We call for submissions which speak to the many ways in which collections can serve as connections between communities. Whether this be through physical or digital repatriation, cultural exchange programmes, museum visits by diasporic or descendant communities connected to collections, archival or provenance research, heritage roadshows and other forms of relationship-building or educational initiatives centred around cultural heritage. ‘Collections’ in this issue is defined broadly to be inclusive also of natural history collections which are often categorised as ‘science’ or ‘natural’ and therefore are not deemed cultural. We especially invite creative, innovative and indigenous-led or co-led accounts of collections serving to decolonise museum and other institutional spaces, by making them more inviting, accessible and inclusive of indigenous and other marginalised voices and worldviews.