In a moment of great significance in the history of Australia’s Indigenous communities the remains of a number of Aboriginal ancestral ancestors have been officially returned to their ancestral homes after decades of being held in foreign institutions. The ceremony for repatriation, held in Canberra was accompanied with solemn rituals as well as traditional songs and empathetic speeches by the leaders of the community and representatives from government.
The remains of the ancestral past, which were discovered in universities and museums across Europe and beyond, including institutions from Germany, the United Kingdom and Germany–were part of collections that were compiled in the colonial age of the colonial period, sometimes without permission.
The Minister of Australia of Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney has described the return “an act of justice, dignity, and healing.”
“For too long, their ancestors were removed from their homeland and their the culture. Now, they’re finally at home,” she said during the ceremony.
The repatriation process was assisted by collaboration efforts by government officials, the Australian government, museums from around the world as well as Indigenous Elders, who been advocating in the name of returning their ancestral ancestors. A large portion of the remains will be buried in unidentified locations in accordance with traditional customs and wishes of the community.
The representatives of several Aboriginal nations expressed sorrow and joy. “It’s a time of mourning, but also of restoration,” the elder Vincent Paterson. “Bringing our ancestors home helps us begin to heal wounds that have lasted generations.”
Australia is actively involved in repatriation efforts for more than three decades, yet many Indigenous remains remain in collections from overseas. Officials claim this latest repatriation is a part of an increasing global acceptance in the significance of preserving the cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples and their family ties.
The celebration culminated with a smoke ritual and dance routine paying tribute to the spiritual journey of ancestral ancestors who return to the place from where they were born.