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Native Americans in British Museums

Living Histories

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2021

Jack Davy
Affiliation:
University of East Anglia

Summary

The accumulated collections of Native American material culture in museums in Britain are vast, and of critical cultural importance. Drawing on interviews with Indigenous American visitors to UK museum displays and collections between 2017 and 2019, this Element highlights the most significant inadequacies of contemporary engagement with Native American visitors and communities, identifying fundamental problems rooted in the ethos of collection management and display. It then explores why two critical crises, one of representation and one of expertise, are together exacerbating these problems, and the damage to relationships and reputation which can result when these crises collide with Indigenous demands for greater agency in museum processes. The final section applies these lessons directly, developing an adaptable policy document, to assist museum staff in effectively and respectfully managing their relationships with Indigenous communities and collections.
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Native Americans in British Museums
  • Jack Davy, University of East Anglia
  • Online ISBN: 9781108909914
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Native Americans in British Museums
  • Jack Davy, University of East Anglia
  • Online ISBN: 9781108909914
Available formats
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To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Native Americans in British Museums
  • Jack Davy, University of East Anglia
  • Online ISBN: 9781108909914
Available formats
×