IASA 2018 Annual Conference

The post-independence era has witnessed huge efforts being made in the repatriation of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage artifacts back to their original indigenous communities. During the colonial era significant cultural materials were taken to foreign lands where some have summarily disappeared with others finding their way into international archives. The advent of independence and international cooperation amongst nations has seen a rise in the repatriation of traditional materials back to their owners. This paper discusses the challenges that populate this gesture as some receiving communities are not readily equipped to derive value in the tangible and intangible repatriated heritage.