“We Had More Because We Lived It”: The Dilemma of Intangible vs. Tangible Conservation for Native Peoples by S. Giffin

The conservation of tangible and intangible object values is a dilemma faced by many conservators and curators.  While Western museums often focus on the tangible aspects of objects, indigenous communities many times stress the unseen intangible qualities of their heritage.  Allowing for indigenous input in the preservation of their own heritage will hopefully help museums preserve both the physical objects and the cultural meanings behind them.