France: No return of artifacts to New Zealand

The French judiciary has just nullified a decision of the city of Rouen, involving returning to New Zealand an artifact of the city museum.

In the 19th century, an individual presented the Rouen City Natural History Museum with a tattooed and embalmed Maori warrior head.

In October 2007, Rouen City Council proposed that the government return this head to New Zealand on the grounds that this artifact is part of the human heritage, not belonging to any private property. The intention of Rouen town hall made female Minister of Culture Christine Albanel worried about the fate of Egyptian antiques in the Louvre Museum and other Asian, African and Latin American artifacts at Quai Branly Art Museum.

On December 27, 2007, according to the urgent request of the Ministry of Culture, the administrative court canceled the decision of the city council of Rouen by applying the 2002 law, which can only be transferred to one non-French individuals or organizations an artifact belonging to public museums after obtaining approval from the specialized subcommittee.

Maori Warriors (Photo: AFP)

Tran Luong Cong Khanh