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Some of you may be aware of the politics around NAGPRA, the Native American Grave protection and Repatriation Act. It is complicated, and important in that it brings another player to the table, representatives of First Nations people. This only applies to Federally recognized communities. There are holes re: who is a legitimate rep ( must be chosen by the group not the Feds), what to do about nonextant groups (closest culturally related group), etc. It gets very complex, but the ultimate goal is communication and partnership.
I am curious that no one has mentioned the plasticized bodies that had us talking a few years ago...
Beryl
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 5, 2010, at 6:42 PM, JEFF <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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> *This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
> Peter - that's precisely what concerns me: what we engage in is rationalization. For instance, if the assertion that human remains are only of meaning to the living, isn't the inference that if those remains have no meaning to me, I have no obligation to respect them? Which, of course, is part of what led to their cavalier treatment in earlier times. So called primitives, such as the Egypitans were inferior to Victorians - so, who cares? And not treating these remains with regard to the context of when they were living beings, seems, at least on some level, disingenuous. If its not ok to dig up my grandfather, what about my great-grandfather, or my great-great?
>
> I remember in Dallas a few years back, during expansion of a highway, a graveyard was discovered. I don't remember the details, but these were lost humans - there were no markings and no existing records to tell us who was buried - yet there was collective agreement to rebury the bones and create a memorial of sorts. What does that say about the notion of no one being alive to identify with these bones?
>
> Contemplation, as you suggest, is a powerful component of the experience. I, for one, would not hesitate to take my two boys to see this show - it is an unusual opportunity to talk about meaning.
>
> Jeff Courtman
> Museumscapes
>
>
>
> On Aug 5, 2010, at 4:06 PM, Peter A Anderson wrote:
>
>> *This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>> *****************************************************************************
>>
>> Jonah,
>>
>> Here's a rationalization of the issue of exhibiting human remains, for your contemplation:
>>
>> 1. Human remains mean nothing to the dead - only to the living.
>>
>> 2. If there's no-one alive who identifies themselves with a specific human remain, no-one can be diminished by exhibiting it.
>>
>> 3. The contemplation of rituals surrounding human remains is a powerful thought-provoking and learning experience for most people.
>>
>> Peter Anderson
>>
>> --
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Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
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