reina torres de araÚz

1
I20 The late Reina Torres de Ara& receiving a pre-Columbian vase from Panama that was returned to the country by a representative of the Government of Costa Rica in 1976. [Photo : INAC.] REINA TORRES DE ARAÚZ It is with very deep sadness that we announce the death on 26 February 1972 of Mrs Reina Torres de Araúz. Despite her long and debilitat- ing illness Mrs Torres de Ara& was dynamic and infatigable to the end in her efforts to pre- serve and present the cultural heritage. So much so that she contributed two major articles to this issue, the one on page 117 and another on illicit traffic in cultural property (p. 134). Reina Torres de Ara& would not be deterred from keeping her promise to Museum for this special issue. She was as dedicated to regional and international co-operation as to museum development in her own country. Born in Panama on 30 October 1932, Reina Torres de Ara& studied history and anthro- pology at the University of Buenos Aires, earn- ing her doctorate in anthropology in 19 5 4. She became Professor of Anthropology at the Uni- versity of Panama in 1955 and in 1961 Hon- orary Director of the university’s Centre for Anthropological Research. In 1962 she was Honorary Director of the National Commission for Archaeology and Historic Monuments. From 1967 to 1969 she was chief planner in an interdisciplinary study commission on the de- velopment of national consciousness attached to the office of the President. In 1969/70 she was Director of the National Heritage in the Na- tional Institute of Culture (INAC), of which she was also appointed Vice-Director. In 1972 she was named Vice-president of the commis- sion to reform the country’s constitution. This distinguished public career was matched by an impressive amount of research, training and information exchange activity in many cul- tural heritage fields and in social medicine as well. Director of the reviews Hombre culturu and Patritnovzio histotiro, her original ar ..,les and publications were numerous. Reina Torres de Araúz represented Panama on the World Heritage Committee, of which she was a former Vice-president. But her ener- getic contributions to international co-oper- ation and particularly to strengthening infra- structures in the Central American region were even more fruitful behind the scenes. She was ever ready to tackle new problems and advise colleagues from all countries. Her dedication to the museums of Panama was boundless and their present strength is the result of her patient years of work. Under her guidance collections were built up, conservation laboratories established, new museums pro- grammed or old ones renovated, various train- ing programmes launched. Bold and imagin- ative links were also established with museums elsewhere that hold significant Panamanian ob- jects whose return or restitution is sought. A constructive pioneer in this field, she prepared a very thorough document on the subject for Unesco’s Intergovernmental Committee on re- turn and restitution, which was warmly com- mended by the committee. In her last letter to Museum dated 28 De- cember 1981 she sent us a copy of the country’s comprehensive new ‘Ley de Control Arqueolo- gico’, explaining that it had been approved a few days earlier, ‘the best Christmas present we could have wished for after nine years of struggle’. The international museum community will deeply grieve her passing.

Post on 03-Oct-2016

216 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: REINA TORRES DE ARAÚZ

I20

The late Reina Torres de Ara& receiving a pre-Columbian vase from Panama that was returned to the country by a representative of the Government of Costa Rica in 1976. [Photo : INAC.]

REINA TORRES DE ARAÚZ

It is with very deep sadness that we announce the death on 26 February 1972 of Mrs Reina Torres de Araúz. Despite her long and debilitat- ing illness Mrs Torres de Ara& was dynamic and infatigable to the end in her efforts to pre- serve and present the cultural heritage. So much so that she contributed two major articles to this issue, the one on page 117 and another on illicit traffic in cultural property (p. 134).

Reina Torres de Ara& would not be deterred from keeping her promise to Museum for this special issue. She was as dedicated to regional and international co-operation as to museum development in her own country.

Born in Panama on 30 October 1932, Reina Torres de Ara& studied history and anthro- pology at the University of Buenos Aires, earn- ing her doctorate in anthropology in 19 5 4. She became Professor of Anthropology at the Uni- versity of Panama in 1955 and in 1961 Hon- orary Director of the university’s Centre for Anthropological Research. In 1962 she was Honorary Director of the National Commission for Archaeology and Historic Monuments. From 1967 to 1969 she was chief planner in an interdisciplinary study commission on the de- velopment of national consciousness attached to the office of the President. In 1969/70 she was Director of the National Heritage in the Na- tional Institute of Culture (INAC), of which she was also appointed Vice-Director. In 1972 she was named Vice-president of the commis- sion to reform the country’s constitution.

This distinguished public career was matched by an impressive amount of research, training and information exchange activity in many cul- tural heritage fields and in social medicine as

well. Director of the reviews Hombre culturu and Patritnovzio histotiro, her original ar ..,les and publications were numerous.

Reina Torres de Araúz represented Panama on the World Heritage Committee, of which she was a former Vice-president. But her ener- getic contributions to international co-oper- ation and particularly to strengthening infra- structures in the Central American region were even more fruitful behind the scenes. She was ever ready to tackle new problems and advise colleagues from all countries.

Her dedication to the museums of Panama was boundless and their present strength is the result of her patient years of work. Under her guidance collections were built up, conservation laboratories established, new museums pro- grammed or old ones renovated, various train- ing programmes launched. Bold and imagin- ative links were also established with museums elsewhere that hold significant Panamanian ob- jects whose return or restitution is sought. A constructive pioneer in this field, she prepared a very thorough document on the subject for Unesco’s Intergovernmental Committee on re- turn and restitution, which was warmly com- mended by the committee.

In her last letter to Museum dated 28 De- cember 1981 she sent us a copy of the country’s comprehensive new ‘Ley de Control Arqueolo- gico’, explaining that it had been approved a few days earlier, ‘the best Christmas present we could have wished for after nine years of struggle’.

The international museum community will deeply grieve her passing.