Repatriation of human remains

Repatriation of human remains, indigenous objects and artifacts cannot undo the injustices meted on the Australian aboriginals by colonialists. Besides, the very resort to the idea of “ownership” permeates old cultural issues with contemporary capitalistic practices. Indeed, today, many people view culture as a patent. On the other hand, a majority of the extreme demands of cultural ownership are entirely unconditional such that it is tricky to account for them (Curtis 126). For instance, some indigenous groups prohibit the documentation of records or images that depict the ancestors. They allege that the pictures personify the ancestors. In the light of this complexity, repatriation of artifacts and indigenous objects facilitates the transfer of ownership of cultural heritage to the right people. The artifacts do not necessarily have to be given back to the aboriginals. Instead, the Australian museums can work in liaison with the aboriginals in the conservation of the repatriated artifacts. Repatriation of the objects gives the aboriginals the full control of their cultural heritage. In spite of the museums serving as custodians of the artifacts and indigenous objects, the aboriginals assume control of exhibition, interpretation and display of the culture (Simpson 123). In this way, the aboriginals have a chance to correct historical inequities instead of allowing the museums to propagate the mistakes of the past.