Ethics, values and legality in the restoration of cultural artefacts: the case of South Africa

ABSTRACT

As a relatively new democracy, South Africa is seeking ways to protect and promote its African heritage. There is increased interest in the repatriation of South African cultural artefacts, mostly taken during the colonial era, currently held in western museums. Internationally, calls for the repatriation of cultural artefacts from western museum collections back to their originating countries in the context of decolonisation and the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement are increasing. As a means of advancing the debate and feeding into draft South African policy, this paper examines the arguments for and against the repatriation of African cultural artefacts from the point of view of an African country. A values-based approach is used to analyse the debate. The ways in which South Africa has made progress towards defining, and protecting, artefacts ‘of national importance’, and some of the repatriation experiences of other sub-Saharan countries are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Museum artefacts
• restoration
• value based approach
• South Africa

Acknowledgments

The research on which this article was based was funded by the South African Cultural Observatory, which is supported by the South African Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the South African Cultural Observatory.

Notes on contributors

Jen Snowball

Jen Snowball is Professor of Economics at Rhodes University, South Africa. She is also the Chief Research Strategist at the South African Cultural Observatory (SACO), is a national research organisation funded by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. Her research in cultural economics has included developing and testing a framework for the monitoring and evaluation of publicly funded arts and culture, cultural mapping studies, employment in the cultural and creative industries, and international trade in cultural goods and services in emerging markets. She is member of the editorial board of the Journal of Cultural Economics, the journal managed by the Association for Cultural Economics International (ACEI).

Alan Collins

Alan Collins is Professor of Economics and Public Policy and Head of the Department of Economics at Nottingham Trent University, UK. His research interests are in the economics of public policy as it impacts culture, the built and rural environment and wellbeing. He has recently served as President of the Association of Cultural Economics International (ACEI) and in that field has undertaken work on digital piracy, the film industry, effectiveness of public subsidy, international trade in cultural artefacts and the illegal trade in ivory for antiques and craft markets.

Enyinna Nwauche

Enyinna Nwauche is a professor of law at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa. His research interests cover the intersection of constitutions culture and community. This research interest has led to work in the area of intellectual and indigenous property including copyright; geographical indications; heritage; traditional cultural expressions; traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources; customary land tenure and African traditional religion.