World Archaeological Congress Supports British Govt Report Recommendation on Returning Bones
The World Archaeological Congress (WAC) today supported a report commissioned by the British Government recommending the return of human remains wherever possible and appropriate from both public and private collections.

"Archaeologists worldwide welcome the recommendation of the removal of legislation which has previously prevented the return of mortal remains to their descendents and communities" said Dr Claire Smith, President of WAC, the international association for archaeologists."'The enforced and involuntary donation of an Indigenous person's body to science in this way, going directly against their religious beliefs and practices, is not acceptable. We welcome the Working Group's recommendation that museums should only hold human remains with the consent of the dead person's descendants."

WAC support the views in the report "there is little question that the original taking of these remains was often morally, if not legally, wrong"; that the refusal to return bones is preventing Indigenous people "from fulfilling a solemn obligation the neglect of which causes acute pain"; and that "until this wrong is redressed there will be no closure in respect of past injustices and an arguable enduring violation of fundamental human rights".
"The recent refusal by the Museum of Natural History in Britain to hand over the remains of 450 Indigenous Australian to tribal elders is out of step with the views of archaeologists in Australia and out of step with international trends on this issue. Let me be quite clear on this. It is only a matter of time. These ancestral remains will be returned to the care of Indigenous Australians." said Dr Smith.

The Chairman of the Working Group on Human Remains held consultations in Britain and Australia, meeting with the then Minister for Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, Philip Ruddock, representatives of the Australian Museum and other museums, as well as Aboriginal leaders and representatives. The Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Commission (ATSIC) has welcomed many of the recommendations of the report which included that an independent panel be established to adjudicate claims for the return of remains, when ownership of those remains cannot be agreed upon. The report states that cultural descendents, elders and leaders, should be entitled to make claims.

 

Maori heads may return home
The return of shrunken Maori heads - mokomokai - to New Zealand could soon be sped up following a recommendation to the British government.
A committee of experts has called for Britain to change the law to enable museums to hand back body parts collected centuries ago in often barbarous circumstances.
For many people the remains are just a number, but for Maori they hold special importance.
The curator of the Maori collection at Auckland's War Memorial Museum wants the mokomokai brought home.
"Human remains are part of the cycle of ancestors to papatuanuku, the earth mother, and while they are in museums we are interfering with that cycle, says Paul Tapsell.

Saturday, November 08, 2003