Hawaii Artifact dispute question? NEW UPDATE Page 5 - General Tiki

F freddiefreelance Member San Diego, Ca. Joined: Feb 15, 2003 Posts: 3006	F freddiefreelance Posted posted on Fri, Sep 26, 2003 7:54 AM I never went to the Bishop Museum while in the islands, but I have read some things about this. Didn't the objects include coffins & remains? I remember reading something about coffins made of fiber & feathers. Unfortunately I think I read about it in the Kinky Freidman mystery "Stepping on a Rainbow" & not somewhere scholarly... I agree that objects like this should be returned to the ancestors; If someone desecrated my ancestors graves there'd be hell to pay, & I'd like that same courtesy should be paid these grave objects. On the other hand: You cannot study & learn the lessons of these ancestors without these objects. Pictures cannot capture fine enough details for study, and copies're copies & not the originals. Is there some middle ground? Have the best copies they can get made for display to teach Hawaiians about their heritage, and sanctify a space where scientists, artists, sociologists & ethnographers can study and learn from these objects? Does that make sense? Making a holy space to go to learn the lessons these ancestors might still be able to teach?

I never went to the Bishop Museum while in the islands, but I have read some things about this. Didn't the objects include coffins & remains? I remember reading something about coffins made of fiber & feathers. Unfortunately I think I read about it in the Kinky Freidman mystery "Stepping on a Rainbow" & not somewhere scholarly...

I agree that objects like this should be returned to the ancestors; If someone desecrated my ancestors graves there'd be hell to pay, & I'd like that same courtesy should be paid these grave objects.

On the other hand: You cannot study & learn the lessons of these ancestors without these objects. Pictures cannot capture fine enough details for study, and copies're copies & not the originals.

Is there some middle ground? Have the best copies they can get made for display to teach Hawaiians about their heritage, and sanctify a space where scientists, artists, sociologists & ethnographers can study and learn from these objects? Does that make sense? Making a holy space to go to learn the lessons these ancestors might still be able to teach?

Post #52782 by freddiefreelance on Fri, Sep 26, 2003 7:54 AM