In the museum world, Western perceptions regarding indigenous peoples have often changed in the past and are still changing continually today. This thesis consists of an effort to trace these past...Show moreIn the museum world, Western perceptions regarding indigenous peoples have often changed in the past and are still changing continually today. This thesis consists of an effort to trace these past changes in representations of native peoples from the first museums to modern times, taking the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde in Leiden as a case study. This case study turns out to be an illustrative example of how these changes occurred in ethnographic museums as results of the changes in the political and academic climate at the time, as well as the changing awareness indigenous peoples had of their own culture. By being aware of these past changes, it is better possible to plan ahead for the future.Show less
