Cultural Property Rights (Essay Sample)

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Cultural Property Rights: Who "Owns" Heritage?
Q1
Art and artifacts are a representation of a distinct cultural group’s identity and heritage; as such, a cultural group should have the right to preserve and possess art and artifacts that are attributable to the group. However, while there are varied artifacts and pieces of art that describe a certain group or community, there are those that are a representation of the nation’s cultural legacy. For instance, the Elgin Marbles represent diverse pieces of art and artifacts that were acquired from Athens by lord Elgin and later possessed by the British museum. Such pieces of art are entitled to the community and country of origin.
While the British museum may purport to hold the relics on the basis of preserving the diversity of global cultures, the Greeks have the rights over the artifacts since they represent indigenous Greek cultures. While groups and communities have rights over works of art that represent their heritage, identity, religion, and cultural history, the possession of art should be given to museums if it is determined that such groups or communities risk losing them
Q2
Each community, ethnic group, or tribe has unique artifacts and art that have religious or sacred attributes. In addition, various groups have preserved their unique cultural identity through safeguarding and holding in secrecy certain aspects of their heritage. These are represented in artifacts or art that are used in sacred or religious ceremonies, including songs.
Therefore, I agree with NAGPRA legislation in the assertion that groups and communities should have cultural property rights (Am...