Post #332598 by bigbrotiki on Sat, Sep 15, 2007 7:41 AM

Here's my personal rules on that:

1.) It is taboo to field collect artifacts from a site, however dilapidated, that is still in operation, or in turnaround to become a new gathering place to hail Tiki (the latter might be difficult to assess).

2.) Only after trying to make contact, and only when convinced that there is total ignorance of the value of Tiki artifacts, and that because of that they are threatened by extinction, is it OK to "save" a piece of Polynesian pop history.

3.) It is selfish to "protect" the knowledge of such site from other interested parties...yet understandable. But in my opinion, the more preservationists know about a threatened property, the better is the chance for something to survive. The need to "own" it should be secondary.

4.) It is pointless to seek to right wrongs that are committed against these rules, people have to live with themselves, Tiki temple theft more than likely yields bad luck Tikis!