Part 2 - Art And Reparations

Recalling the destruction of monumental cultural artifacts by various terrorist groups around the world makes one wonder why such wanton disregard of posterity. And not negating the impact of colonial explorations of ‘the uncivilized world’ which saw the theft of millions of such artifacts, what global wealth is entrenched in the blood of massacred ancestors? Indigenous rights groups around the world have confronted constant stumbling blocks when it comes to the reclamation of artifacts, human remains and other items of cultural value which adorn prestigious museums and academic institutions of the world.

And with the question of the constant lack of positive results from those in possession of sacred items burning in my mind, I have had moments to dabble with some possible empirical reasons, inadequate as they are, but which led to a plethora of theories.

I had to first acknowledge that reparations and therefore monetary compensations are the initial phase of the settlement of a long debt with the oppressed of the world. Monetary compensations are appropriate forms that should come in from their FINANCIAL DISTRICT CURRENCY COFFERS, largely because money can compensate for most greed driven escapades inclined towards degradation of planetary life, ecosystems, and exploitation and debasement of human dignity. I argue that while the wealthy few continue to contrive social fiscal organizations towards an oligarchic mono-culture, the selfsame monetary means must be reclaimed to replenish the wounds caused by money, with all social degradation caused by capitalism and other materialistic agencies.

I would go even further and propose that the repatriation of artifacts stolen from various cultures around the world are the unspoken backbone of many dominant currencies, therefore should be targeted as first acquisitions for the crucial reclamation of reparations for our collective worth as the third world. Returning of stuffed bodies, body parts and skeletons of maimed indigenous peoples gathered during ‘anthropological researches’ should be returned to their rightful countries of origin for the spiritual peace of their next of kin. What is often described as the golden age of natural history collecting saw millions of dead remains scattered across European and American museums. These corpses are highly contested cultural items for scientists and natural historians, we are told, but these desecrated bones and dismembered body parts bottled in various institutions carry souls of people which deserve reburial.

It therefore becomes of paramount import that a global heritage restoration forum be part of the new institutions formed, to access and evaluate any claims and denials of wrongful desecration of indigenous knowledge.