The international symposium ‘Diásporas Patrimoniales’ began on 12 November at the TEA (Tenerife Espacio de las Artes) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The opening session included contributions from Migdalia Machín, the regional minister for Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture; Rosa Dávila, the president of the Cabildo of Tenerife; José Carlos Acha, the councillor for Culture and Museums of the Cabildo; and archaeologist Jorge Onrubia, a member of the Scientific Committee.
The event brings together twenty-five specialists, museum curators, researchers and representatives from heritage administrations across thirteen countries to discuss the dispersal and restitution of archaeological legacies. During the inaugural session, officials highlighted the significance of the Canary Islands leading this international dialogue. Machín emphasised the importance of hosting such a forum in Tenerife, stating, “We are not only talking about recovering our memory, but doing so with scientific rigor, cooperation between institutions, and open dialogue with the international community.” The Government of the Canary Islands is committed to protecting, studying, and returning the legacy that forms part of the islands' identity.
Dávila specifically mentioned the case of the Mummy of Erques, currently housed in the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. “The Mummy of Erques is part of the history and memory of Tenerife. We are talking about a person who lived on our island, and whose remains constitute an exceptional testimony of Guanche culture. We want it to come home, and we will continue to work through dialogue, scientific rigor, and institutional cooperation to make its return possible.” Onrubia remarked that “the role embodied by the Canary Islands in the historical processes related to the dispersal of objects and human remains makes the islands a privileged observatory to critically and constructively address the complex and controversial issues surrounding the dynamics of translocation, dispersal, and appropriation of archaeological legacies.”
The first day of the symposium featured three panels that analysed the historical, institutional, and scientific perspectives on the processes that have influenced the dispersal of cultural assets, the power relations involved in the formation of collections, and current mechanisms for cooperation and heritage restitution.
Second day
The second day will commence on 13 November at 9:30 am, with Fernando Clavijo, the president of the Canary Islands, opening the session. This session will focus on the Canary Islands as a case study, examining archaeological and bio-anthropological collections linked to the archipelago that are held outside the islands. Throughout the day, three thematic panels will explore historical dislocations, current scientific collaborations, and expectations for the restitution of the archipelago's heritage, as well as the unique trajectories of these collections and the ethical dilemmas surrounding the management and display of human remains.
Participants will include researchers from both local and national universities, alongside representatives and specialists from internationally renowned museum institutions such as El Museo Canario (Gran Canaria), the Archaeological Museum of Tenerife, the Musée de l’Homme (France), the Weltmuseum Wien (Austria), The British Museum (United Kingdom), the Montané Anthropological Museum (Cuba), INAH (Mexico), the Pachacamac Museum (Peru), and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt.
The academic sessions will conclude with the reading of the “Santa Cruz de Tenerife Declaration” by the Scientific Committee, intended as a starting point for ongoing dialogue between the participating institutions and specialists. As a cultural closing event, a performance titled ‘MONUMENTA. Nine Guanche Incarnations’ by artist Yapci Ramos will take place at 5:30 pm in the Plaza del TEA, focusing on the silenced memory of Guanche women and open to the public. The sessions will also be streamed live on the YouTube channel of the Cultural Heritage of the Canary Islands.
