[Aztlan] Kafka meets NAGPRA

[Sid Hollander]

A most interesting topic! Very difficult subject for everyone to be come out
happy because it is the means means to each others ends that are in
conflict.  There is not one member on this list who would rob the spirit of
a person by taking their photo if they were aware of their beliefs. But does
it count if we take the shot with a spy camera or clandestinely? How about
if they are hungry and they sell their soul for your 'tip' ?  Because we you
went so far and spent so much to get there,  does this count a little bit in
determining if taking shot (or the dig) is justified?  How about is society
as a whole never saw a picture of that person (or his ancestors bones).

Doing it for just a short time (is 2 years short enough?) sounds like a
'little pregnant' to me. Having the persons relative around  after taking
the picture or doing the dig doesn't get the soul back.  It doesn't because
it takes place after the fact.  I so appreciated the approach taken by some
sites in the US where a member of the tribe had to accompany/guide/monitor
each visitor through their ancestral lands.   It appeared to make a great
deal of sense to me.  Something like the pig who has made a much larger
commitment to the 'ham and eggs' than did the chicken.  Balancing the real
cost of the investigated vrs the cost of the investigator can not be
measured in dollars and cents nor can it be measured by societies need to
know.

Complicated subject and a grand topic for this list and so much like
question of returning artifacts to their place of origin.

-- 
Sid Hollander
Merida, Yucatan