ENTANGLED RETURNS: RESTITUTION OF HUMAN REMAINS IN THE MUSEUM OF LA PLATA, ARGENTINA

Since 1989, the Museum of La Plata has received requests for the restitution of Indigenous humanremains. In 2016, the community Comunidad Indígena Cacique Pincen Mapuche Tehuelche, locatedin the present-day Buenos Aires province (Argentina), claimed the restitution of the skulls of Gherenal,Chipitruz, Manuel Guerra, and Indio Brujo, individuals who lived in the 19th century in the Pampas(Argentina) and can be affiliated with different cacicazgos. Here, we describe how, after the approvalof the restitution by the Museum of La Plata and the University of La Plata, the remains were claimedby other communities. This led to the skulls being moved from the museum to different locations beforethe burial. Based on this case, we discuss some strengths and weaknesses of the legal framework ofrestitutions in Argentina and the Museum’s policies.