Colonial Collections and Knowledge Repatriation in the Philippines

The Philippine Collections at the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology are one of the most significant colonial assemblages of Filipino cultural heritage in the United States. Beginning in 1873, University of Michigan faculty and alumni have had an influential and extractive relationship alongside the U.S.’s colonial efforts in the Philippines. Since 2021, Museum staff have worked with a group of scholars, librarians, and archivists across campus, starting with the grant funded project ReConnect/ReCollect: Reparative Connections to Philippine Collections at the University of Michigan. Through this collaboration, we learned to navigate the expectations of Philippine cultural and political norms alongside the perspectives of diasporic Filipino communities in the U.S. This presentation will discuss our strategies, challenges, successes, and evolving practices in fostering collaborative relationships that support the meaningful repatriation of knowledge and heritage.