[ In Dutch and in English] In the presence of a delegation of representatives from the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Governor E. Michael Silvas of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Director of Heritage and Arts Christianne Mattijssen signed an agreement on behalf of Eppo Bruins | Minister of Education, Culture and Science confirming the transfer of these objects from the Netherlands. The refund is special. It is the first time that the United States has been refunded. In this matter, there is no direct mention of a colonial relationship with the Netherlands. Nevertheless, the actions of Ten Kate Jr. can be placed in a colonial context, and fit in with the way the West has dealt with indigenous peoples around the world for centuries.
In response to a request from the United States and the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, and on the advice of the Dutch Colonial Collections Commission, Minister of Education, Culture and Science Eppo Bruins decided in January 2025 to return seven objects from the Dutch National Art Collection to the community. It is also the first time that the Netherlands returns objects to a specific people, not to a country, says Christianne Mattijssen, director of Heritage & Arts at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science: “Normally, restitution is done from country to country, but this time the US federal government asked us to arrange it directly with the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo. Normally, objects go back to a country and then be exhibited in a museum. But now they go to the people themselves, to be used again.”
The Wereldmuseum Leiden posted photo’s of the ceremony on their LinkedIn page.
