The work of Four Directions UK can be summed up in four words; researching, cataloguing, informing and assisting.  Our aim is to conduct research to enable us to provide a comprehensive catalogue of all indigenous human remains and sacred cultural objects held in museums and collections within the borders of the European Union.  This catalogue will be made freely available to all.

Where we have reliable information on the provenance of remains and objects, and where this provenance can be  traced to an existing indigenous nation, group, tribe or band, we will contact them with the results of our research.  If indigenous people ask us to assist them in locating remains or objects, or in seeking the repatriation of remains and objects, we will provide such assistance to the best of our ability and available resources.  (We will not make any charges for our work.)

Clearly the above represents a mammoth task and, accordingly, we have broken it down into more manageable units.  During 2010 we will be working to compile a comprehensive catalogue of all indigenous human remains originating from the Americas and held in museums within Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.  Hopefully as our organisation develops our resources will grow and we can relatively quickly expand our researches to include other country's museums, other indigenous regions and, ultimately, to include sacred objects as well as human remains.

It is a fundamental of our work that it is carried out in a spirit of respect and cooperation.  We do not seek confrontation and rely on the good will and professionalism of those who work in the museums and other organisations from whom we request information and assistance.  If you haven't already done so, you can read our mission, vision and values here.

As we begin our work we are seeking help of many kinds from willing volunteers.  This ranges from contacting and visiting museums through carrying out research on the Internet to helping to assemble and edit data.  Even if you can only spare a few hours a month you could help us in our work.  For more information on our current volunteer vacancies please click here.

During the coming months we'll be adding more information to this introductory section and adding a number of background articles.  To be kept informed of developments on the site please send us a blank email, there's no charge and we promise not to divulge your email address to anyone else.  Please click here to send an email.