Shuar and Munduruku modified remains: Bioarchaeological practice and postcolonial critique in South America

Abstract

The purpose of this communication is to present reflections on the practice of collecting Munduruku and Shuar heads from colonial contexts, their subsequent curation in global museum collections, and the importance of understanding the origins of this collecting practice considering both the existence of «forgeries» and the continued search for «authentic» examples by collectors today. Our research aims to contribute to the discussion on the importance of bioanthropological analysis of these Ancestral remains when allied to postcolonial criticism and provenance research regarding how and why they were collected, curated and kept in museums. Given that these heads are a sensitive reminder of the problematic circumstances of their collection, postcolonial criticism is paramount to rethinking their curation, display, and use as part of scientific investigations.