Let the lost cultural relics' return home 'is a shared responsibility of the international community (from an international perspective)
2023-09-01
The pursuit and return of cultural relics have attracted much attention, and almost every lost cultural relic's "return home" journey has twists and turns in its story. In recent years, more and more countries have continuously improved their legislation on cultural relics protection, and have carried out a lot of work in combating illegal trafficking in cultural relics and tracing lost cultural relics. They have recovered some lost cultural relics from Western countries such as the UK, the United States, the Netherlands, and Australia, allowing returned cultural relics to demonstrate the rich historical and cultural value of their countries of origin. Brazilian international cultural heritage law expert Leticia Hartl - The return of lost cultural relics is not only beneficial for historical research, but also crucial for establishing culture and identity. At the end of June this year, the Danish National Museum announced the return of a Tupinamba cloak from its collection to Brazil. This cloak is covered with the feathers of the American red ibis and was made using traditional techniques by the indigenous Tupinamba people of Brazil. According to relevant statistics, there are only 11 existing cloaks of this type, all made in the 16th to 17th centuries and later looted by European colonizers. Currently, all of them are collected in museums in European countries. This Tupinamba cloak, which is about to be returned, is the most well preserved one. This iconic item of the Brazilian indigenous people has both aesthetic and historical value, and is of great significance to the Tupinamba people. Brazilian anthropologist Joon Pacheco said that the production process of Tupinamba cloaks is complex and exquisite, and the production cycle of a cloak takes several months or even more than a year. Tupinamba people only wear and use it in specific ceremonies, believing that the cloak carries the cultural customs of their indigenous ancestors. Over the years, the Brazilian government and people have made many efforts to recover this cultural relic. Several tribal leaders in Brazil have sent letters to the Danish National Museum requesting the return of the cloak, while many Brazilian experts and scholars have used the opportunity to participate in international seminars to introduce the special significance of the cloak for indigenous peoples and seek more support. Thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, in June this year, the dinosaur fossil named Ubirahara Jubatus also returned to Brazil from Germany. The fossil is a dinosaur that lived approximately 110 million years ago in the Cretaceous period and is one of the oldest fossils discovered in the Alaripe Basin in northeastern Brazil. The return of fossils is of great significance for research in the Brazilian scientific and archaeological communities. According to the "Cultural Relics Wanted Database" listed by the Brazilian National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage, more than 1640 cultural relics have appeared in Brazilian federal cultural institutions but have since been stolen or lost. In February of this year, the Brazilian government and relevant cultural relics research institutions collaborated with the International Council of Museums to launch the "Brazilian Red List", which lists five major categories of cultural relics facing illegal commercialization in Brazil. The directory has also been distributed to police and customs in multiple parts of the world to help them identify these cultural relics. Recently, Brazilian international cultural heritage law expert Leticia Hartel led the establishment of an interdisciplinary group to publish a proposal on the official website of the Brazilian government for the protection and return of Brazilian cultural heritage. Hartel stated that tracing and protecting cultural relics is an important measure to ensure the inheritance and development of national culture. The return of lost cultural relics is not only beneficial for historical research, but also crucial for establishing culture and identity. Cultural relics in foreign countries can be alienated due to their detachment from cultural contexts, and many
Edit:GuoGuo Responsible editor:CaiXiaoJing
Source:people.cn
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