Based on a recent case study (repatriation and reburial of human remains in South Africa in late March 2026), Steph Scholten, former Head of Collections at the Rijksmuseum voor Oudheden in Leiden and current Director of the Hunterian in Glasgow, discusses the practical implementation of repatriation and the implications for the presence of human remains in exhibitions.
Elsbeth Dekker, PhD-candidate Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, discusses questions such as: what does restitution mean with regard to human remains, and how does this relate to a notion of dignity and a respectful approach to (former) oppressed communities. Legally, there is much uncertainty in this area. Although human remains could be considered cultural property under the Heritage Act, as part of museum collections, the current Dutch restitution policy does not address this.
Wonu Veys, Curator Oceania, Wereldmuseum and professor Art and Material Culture of Oceania, will reflect on the reasoning behind displaying Papuan korwar figures, touching upon their Papuan context, the history of missionization and contemporary museum practice. More broadly, this intervention will attempt to answer what a decolonized museum practice might mean when working with objects that incorporate ancestral and human remains from an Oceanic context.
