Maori Warriors return home by Claudia Sonea

Finally, there is a country that would not hold on to its power over other smaller countries. Although France is well known for its chauvinist views and often criticizing those who are different, the country has managed to improve its bad image abroad by deciding to return the tattooed mummified Maori warrior heads to the rightful owner, New Zealand. The tattooed heads are in fact Mokomokai, indigenous people of New Zealand called Maoris who had the skin carved by uhi (chisels). If the Maoris wanted to keep the tattooed heads of warriors in order to honor them and thinking that they were in fact keeping the warrior’s spir! its alive, the Europeans wanted to keep the heads as collection pieces just perfect to be shown up in museums. In spite of the fact that its reasons are shallows, France refused to give up the artifacts that were plundered by explorers, by the crusaders, by the soldiers during their military expeditions. On Tuesday the French National Assembly after a debate that took place on the 29th of April, approved the restitution of the mummified heads of Maoris to New Zealand. It is a success for activists campaigning for the restitution of bodies and antiquities, although there are still a lot of other mummies and archaeological treasures that U.S. and European museums are holding back. The heads will be repatriated to “Te Papa museum” in Wellington and are part of the museum’s attempt to bring home the Maori ancestral remains. Moreover, since 2003 Te Papa registered 180 repatriations from 39 countries. New Zeala! nd had the bravery to fight for its rights, for getting back i! ts ances tors, but what about other countries that suffered the same fate and are powerless in confronting other countries like France, England or US? Let’s just hope the Maori story will open the road for other countries and to other bold attempts.

related story (sgx17182): http://www.france24.com/en/20100504-maori-french-museums-ret...

by Claudia Sonea for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

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