Young Reporters: Ancestral remains returns from Oxford Kiki Headington

From the total of eleven, six ancestors were returned from the Natural History Museum and five by the Pitt Rivers Museum: five to the custodianship of their respective communities, six returned under Australian Government stewardship, and from there back to the country. The eleven remains were obtained in the museums in the 19th century, and now are being repatriated back to their homes.

Professors of the museums signing the repatriation documents, watched by the Hon.Stephen Smith, Australian High Commissioner to the UK. (Image: © Pitt Rivers Museum/Oxford University Museum of Natural History)

The human remains of the First Nation Ancestors were acquired in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in the 19th century as the University Museum became a concentration of material culture collection (As it was then known). Two were obtained as part of larger medical and anthropological collections from another university department and donors. The remaining four were donated to the Museum by individuals directly.

Between 1887 and 1917, the Pitt Rivers Museums acquired five human remains of the First Nation ancestors. One was secured from the Oxford University Department of Comparative Anatomy in 1887, and the other four were donated by private donors.  

The Museums were thrilled to be able to work with the First Nations and so were the representatives, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney said:

“Returning ancestors to Country is critical to promote healing and justice for First Nations peoples – and is a vital step towards reconciliation and truth-telling. It honours the deep cultural and emotional significance of returning ancestors to their traditional lands and allows communities to carry out their cultural obligations and customs.”

Ceremonies like this exhibit the vital roles of museums in contemporary society. Moreover, it is a crucial part of rectifying the unjust and problematic parts of the history of archaeology and anthropology that caused much harm, like the acquisition of ancestral remains. 

Director of the Pitt Rivers Museum, Professor Laura Van Broekhoven, said:

For the Pitt Rivers Museum, ceremonies like these introduce new chapters in our history as a museum. We want to thank Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders for their leadership in this process; we are pleased that the ancestors are finally able to return home. We are grateful to join this Indigenous-led process that works towards healing.”

This return means more than 1,209 ancestors have repatriated to Australia from the UK, according to the National Indigenous Time. These returns introduce a new way of reinstalling peace and justice in the world.