Weighing in...collecting from other cultures...

[Lew]

Originally Posted by Nathaniel

Peppered Skull,

Thank you very much for bring up such good points on the local/native perspective, this is exactly as I wanted, because I know by the very nature of this forum purpose it maybe bias...and the issues posed can easily make people uncomfortable or raise to defense, but that is the very reason why I felt it was important to bring up this topic. I know it will not necessarily change things...or believe that people should send back their precious pieces to their country of origin, but believe it is a good open conversation to have so that perhaps both sides can understand each other better...this was my purpose...this is my goal. To hopefully disarm the situation even if just a little.

Nathaniel

I really don't think the nature of this forum is bias in any way shape or form and there is no situation to disarm here. We are all here to share our knowlege with others concerning the study of ethnographic weapons so let us stick to that idea.

Lew

[Nathaniel]

Originally Posted by Lew

Nathaniel

I really don't think the nature of this forum is bias in any way shape or form and there is no situation to disarm here. We are all here to share our knowlege with others concerning the study of ethnographic weapons so let us stick to that idea.

Lew

Lew,

By Bias, I mean the majority of collect from other cultures, so this already means that those people believe that it is right to do, the other side is those who are from the native cultures, who might believe non natives should not be removing these items in the past, present or future. So by Bias I mean by proposing this debate to a forum that the majority of members collect from cultures that are non their own there could be a potential bias towards pro-collecting from other cultures.

The situation is the tension that occurs between these two groups/ opinions. I have experienced this situation because I am in contact with people from the SEA cultures I primarily collect from in which I have found locals who are surprised to see a foreigner interested in their culture and their response is positive and helpful...others have responded negatively, expressing their dissatisfaction with driving up prices & stealing/ buying their cultural heritage, etc.

By Disarming the Situation, therefore goes back to the purpose of the thread was just to bring up this topic for discussion to as Pepper Skull correctly stated:

Originally Posted by ThePepperSkull

Of course, both of these arguments are very one-dimensional and therein lay the problem. A lack of understanding where one or the other comes from can lead to a somewhat skewed and unrealistic perception.

That is why I really appreciate this discussion. We can definitely expand our ways of thinking to include both viewpoints rather than exclude one, and in doing so we can work to understand one another's viewpoints more clearly -- and maybe even change these viewpoints for the better. After all, isn't that level of understanding and intercultural knowledge the essence of what we're all here for? ThePepperSkull

Highest regards & respect to all who have shared their views. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Nathaniel