2023/11/01 by Alessandro Chechi
Social Sciences · #Anthropological Studies and Insights #Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights #Vietnamese History and Culture Studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s0940739124000067
openalex publication_date 2023/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
Abstract This article focuses on the ancestral human remains of Indigenous peoples that were taken by European invaders during the colonial era. It begins by considering the notion of human remains. It then describes the two types of heritage that result from the removal of human remains: the tangible heritage made of the remains exhibited or stored in the museums or universities of former colonial States, and the intangible heritage made of the collective memories of the surviving communities and their descendants about the removal (and the absence) of the stolen remains. The article next examines the role of national and international laws with respect to the restitution of human remains by exploring the concept of transitional justice. This article argues that transitional justice can facilitate the meaningful repatriation of ancestral human remains and hence the healing of past injustice.