France votes to return Maori heads to New Zealand

[demoleft]

Source: bbc

The French parliament has voted to return the mummified heads of at least 15 Maori warriors to New Zealand.

The heads, taken by European explorers in the 18th and 19th centuries, are currently on display in several museums in France.

The decision ends years of debate and is part of a wider discussion in the US and Europe on the restitution of artefacts taken centuries earlier.

The Maoris believed the preservation of the heads kept their spirits alive.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8661231.stm

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good news

[ClarkUSA]

1. I'm happy that cool heads prevailed.

:P

[demoleft]

2. :) agreed. and here's one example here, tattooed.

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/10/25/maori_narrowweb__300x376,0.jpg

looks like the requests from new zealand date back to the 80's.
so - at last.