CORRESPONDENCE WITH MEXICAN AUTHORITIES REGARDING ANCESTRAL SKULL REPATRIATION This PDF document outlines the correspondence we have had with Mexican authorities concerning the repatriation of an ancestral skull.
First Letter: Daniel Aguilar Ruvalcaba to Ambassador Carmen Moreno Toscano The initial letter was written by Daniel Aguilar Ruvalcaba to Carmen Moreno Toscano, the Mexican Ambassador to the Netherlands. The letter referenced three attachments: Project Portfolio (not included here). Dutch Newspaper Article (included): An article published in Trouw, featuring an interview with two academics, was conducted without Daniel Aguilar Ruvalcaba’s consent. Though they had no prior experience with the subject matter and initially claimed to seek collaboration, their approach ultimately reflected a desire for protagonism. Aguilar Ruvalcaba characterizes their actions as stemming from “decolonial FOMO and a need for public recognition.” The article includes problematic imagery that perpetuates colonial epistemic extractivism—reproduced here in its original Dutch version, along with the accompanying photographs. Aguilar Ruvalcaba sent the academics a personal letter (not included) expressing his objections to their conduct. Their opportunistic involvement inadvertently alerted the Mexican Embassy to the community-led repatriation initiative. In an attempt to mitigate the harm caused, Aguilar Ruvalcaba offered to fund travel expenses for representatives of the Yuku Saa Community Museum to join the opening of Onvoltooid verleden. However, one representative declined, and the other did not respond. Embassy Website Article (included): A translated article from the Mexican Embassy in the Netherlands’ website, detailing their 2022 visit to the Rijksakademie, where they met Aguilar Ruvalcaba. Second Letter: Ambassador Carmen Moreno Toscano’s Response The Ambassador replied to Aguilar Ruvalcaba’s letter. Though the contents of her response are not detailed here, a close reading reveals how the response diplomatically sidestepped the substantive concerns raised in Aguilar Ruvalcaba’s remarks.