The CMA's recently-issued paper Repatriation of Cultural Heritage to Indigenous Nations in Canada: International Guidance for Museums builds on earlier work issued by the CMA's Reconciliation Council. The paper contains core principles underlying international repatriation claims, including Indigenous perspectives on the histories of items held overseas, the use of the term "cultural belongings" rather than artifacts or other museological terminology, the context of UNDRIP, and the lack of free and informed consent for the historic removal of cultural belongings.
This is an important step in creating a basis for discussion between Indigenous nations and overseas museums. It needs to be strengthened with key details about the administrative processes necessary for successful return of cultural belongings: customs codes, the nature of paperwork required to accompany shipments, and the special shipping issues connected with repatriation/rematriation. I look forward to further work from the CMA's Reconciliation Council that will take this critical issue further in practical terms.
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