The Contemporary Issues box in this chapter involved the Maori of New Zealand seeking the repatriation of a tattooed head belonging to one of their ancestors from a museum in Rouen, France. There have...

The Contemporary Issues box in this chapter involved the Maori of New Zealand seeking the repatriation of a tattooed head belonging to one of their ancestors from a museum in Rouen, France. There have been, and continue to be, thousands of works of art (not necessarily body parts) belonging to various cultural groups throughout the world that were taken over the course of the last several centuries and remain the property of most Western museums. Because these pieces of art belong to the cultural heritage of the peoples who made them, these Western museums are constantly being petitioned (or sued) to return these art objects to their original owners. Do you think these works of traditional art should be returned or should they remain in the Western museums? Support your answer