In a significant repatriation ceremony at Manchester Museum, 174 cultural heritage items were returned to representatives of the Anindilyakwa community, Traditional Owners of the Groote Archipelago in the Northern Territory. These items, including spears, bark baskets, armbands, and painted doll shells, were collected by Professor Peter Worsley during his PhD fieldwork in the 1950s.
Danjibana Noeleen Lalara, Maicie Lalara, and Amethea Mamarika, representing the Anindilyakwa community, traveled from Groote Eylandt to receive the materials in a ceremony that included a performance of a song by Anindilyakwa Aunties.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney praised the return of these culturally significant items, highlighting their importance in acknowledging the contributions of the Anindilyakwa people. The Return of Cultural Heritage Program, funded by the Australian Government, plays a vital role in ensuring the return of such materials to their communities.
Stephen Smith, Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, emphasised the importance of this repatriation in Australia’s reconciliation process and the preservation of cultural practices.
Thomas Amagula, Deputy Chair of the Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC), expressed the significance of this repatriation for the Anindilyakwa community and their vision to protect and promote their culture.
The collaborative project between AIATSIS, Manchester Museum, and the Anindilyakwa community involved consultations and cultural knowledge sharing, aiming to determine the best way to care for the materials for future generations.
Esme Ward, Director of Manchester Museum, emphasised the museum’s commitment to recognising, respecting, and valuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and cultures. She highlighted the importance of museums extending their care beyond objects to communities and relationships.
AIATSIS leads the Australian Government’s Return of Cultural Heritage (RoCH) program, which supports Indigenous communities in regaining control over their cultural heritage material in overseas collections and facilitates its return.
Leonard Hill, acting CEO of AIATSIS, praised the partnership between AIATSIS, First Nation communities, and overseas collecting institutions, emphasising the transformative power of sharing the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The return of these materials has already had a positive impact on cultural practices, with the Anindilyakwa Art Centre creating Dadikwakwa-Kwa (doll shells), finalists in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (Telstra NATSIAA).
Activities celebrating the cultural heritage of the Anindilyakwa community, including doll shell-making workshops, are planned at Manchester Museum in the coming weeks.
The materials will be transported back to Groote Eylandt in the coming weeks, where a return celebration is planned later this year.
The AIATSIS-led Return of Cultural Heritage program is funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
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Manchester Museum returns 174 Anindilyakwa cultural #heritage items to the Groote Archipelago. The ceremony marks a significant step in #repatriation efforts. #TheIndianSunhttps://t.co/piV9ykRtWn
— The Indian Sun (@The_Indian_Sun) September 6, 2023
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