The French acquisition of Toi moko from Aotearoa/New Zealand in the nineteenth century

This chapter examines the acquisition and return of Toi moko (Māori preserved heads) by French cultural institutions and highlights the complexity of the nature of this trade. Most of the Toi moko in French institutions were acquired during the Musket Wars (1806–1845) and the diversity of their nineteenth-century European value is reflected in the different types of cultural institutions that acquired them. Twenty-one Toi moko were returned by French institutions in 2010. These had been located in museums of natural history, fine arts, maritime history and ethnography as well as museums in medical schools. They were also located in private collections, notably one in a famous Parisian store.