France votes to return Maori heads to New Zealand - General Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Wed, May 5, 2010 11:31 PM It's definitely a tricky subject. On could argue that the Maori chiefs and families willingly TRADED these heads in for goods. But then, sometimes they were heads of the enemies, and the families of the original owners had no say. In general, the whole situation had gone out of control, and was far from any legal or honorable business at the end. This is best described in H.G. Robley's 1986 book "Moko", from which I quoted extensively in the "Hunters and Collectors" chapter in the Book of Tiki. Here is the opening text on the Moko Mokai chapter in Robley's book: Of course Major Robley was an avid collector of heads himself: The Maori heads are such a charged subject of un-p.c.-ness, not only do most museums not display them anymore, you hardly can find any good images on the web. I don't like to take sides in these matters, they are too complex and should be considered on a case to case basis. I do like however the macabre humor of an account printed in Robley's book by a man who found himself at a head trader"s stand on a market, during the height of the head trading fad:

It's definitely a tricky subject. On could argue that the Maori chiefs and families willingly TRADED these heads in for goods. But then, sometimes they were heads of the enemies, and the families of the original owners had no say. In general, the whole situation had gone out of control, and was far from any legal or honorable business at the end. This is best described in H.G. Robley's 1986 book "Moko", from which I quoted extensively in the "Hunters and Collectors" chapter in the Book of Tiki. Here is the opening text on the Moko Mokai chapter in Robley's book:

Of course Major Robley was an avid collector of heads himself:

The Maori heads are such a charged subject of un-p.c.-ness, not only do most museums not display them anymore, you hardly can find any good images on the web. I don't like to take sides in these matters, they are too complex and should be considered on a case to case basis. I do like however the macabre humor of an account printed in Robley's book by a man who found himself at a head trader"s stand on a market, during the height of the head trading fad:

Post #528294 by bigbrotiki on Wed, May 5, 2010 11:31 PM