Administrative Tribunal of Rouen, Decision No. 702737, December 27, 2007 (Maori Head case)

Marine Bel, Michael Berger, Robert K. Paterson

Research output: Articlepeer-review

Abstract

In October 2007, the mayor of the French city of Rouen agreed to return to New Zealand a preserved tattooed head of a Maori warrior (called toi moko by Maori) from that city's Museum of Natural History, whose collection the head had been part of since 1875. The decision to return the head was based on an initiative by the Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa), which has successfully secured the return of other such heads from museums in various European countries and the United States. Before the Rouen head could be handed over, however, the French Ministry of Culture intervened, arguing that its return was unauthorized under French law as being part of a French museum collection and thus inalienable.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)223-226
Number of pages4
JournalInternational Journal of Cultural Property
Volume15
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Conservation
  • Cultural Studies
  • History
  • Anthropology
  • Museology

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