Making Things Right, Culturally

IN ART MUSEUMS all over Europe and North America are art works and artifacts from Africa, Central and south America, and Asia, plundered from their rightful owners in the larceny frenzy which accompanied European and American conquest and imperialism in previous centuries, including the twentieth. It is estimated that ninety to ninety five percent of Africa's historical artistic treasures are being held outside Africa, and have been for many decades. Throughout the twentieth century African nations, with much blood, toil, and trouble, cast off the chains of western (European and American ) imperialism. The old argument by western scholars and politicians that colonial imperialism benefited all concerned has long since been discredited. Another false contention is that African art housed in western museums is on "long term loan". This.obviously, is nonsense. Now, belatedly, independent African nations , and indeed American nations within a nation are demanding their property be returned, after years of politely requesting it, to no avail. It is not merely museums that are guilty. Much material is housed is private collections as well. Predictably, the guilty parties, governments, institutions, universities, and private collectors have gone to great lengths to equivocate, complicate, and delay the process of artifact repatriation,, even though nearly everyone concerned explicitly acknowledges the urgent necessity, cultural and legal correctness lf the process being actualized to completion. History never repeats itself, but the effects of past injustices linger long, and pollute our present day with their baggage. Americans, currently bearing the residual impact of her long heritage of slavery, know this all too well. The return of huge quantities of priceless art to its rightful owners will, superficially, culturally impoverish in a material sense those who plundered it, but far more importantly, it will redeem them legally and morally. And besides, all over the world cultural exchange programs among museums guarantee that all the world's great art can be seen, up close and personal, by any one who wants to, with a little patience. Sooner rather than later may the day come when must either travel to  Africa to see African art, or patiently await its arrival at the nearest art museum.