The Return of Ancestral Remains: A Journey Towards Healing and Reconciliation
The journey of Aboriginal ancestors' remains returning home is a powerful narrative of healing and reconciliation. Elizabeth Dempsey and her sister, Sylvia Price, embarked on a quest to bring their Waluwarra ancestors back to their homeland, a process that has been both emotional and challenging.
The story begins with a profound feeling of connection. When Dempsey held the remains, she knew instinctively that they belonged to her people. This emotional response is not uncommon among those involved in the repatriation process, as it involves a deep connection to one's cultural heritage.
The remains were discovered in various institutions, including a university in Cologne, Germany, and two museums in Australia. The process of uncovering and returning these ancestral remains is a complex and ongoing task for Australian museums. The staff at these institutions face the challenging duty of repatriating these remains, but the work is far from complete.
Dempsey and Price's journey began when they received an email from the federal arts department, informing them of the remains found at the University of Cologne. This news brought a mix of emotions, as Price questioned how the Australian government could allow the removal of ancestral remains from the country. However, it also served as a reminder of the historical injustices that have occurred.
Further investigation revealed more ancestral remains in Australia, at the Australian Museum in Sydney and the Queensland Museum in Brisbane. The process of identifying and understanding the history behind these remains is akin to solving a jigsaw puzzle, with morphological markers, archival records, and community knowledge playing crucial roles.
The story delves into the dark history of the trade in Aboriginal remains, dating back to the early 20th century. Walter Roth, Queensland's chief protector of Aborigines, sold two of the ancestors to the Australian Museum in 1905, a transaction that sparked public pressure and his eventual resignation. One of these ancestors was later traded to a German university professor, while the third was found outside Mount Isa in 1973 and held in a forensic facility until 2016.
The emotional reunion of these ancestors with their descendants was marked by moving ceremonies in Sydney and Brisbane. As the remains were presented at a smoking ceremony, Dempsey's thoughts turned to her grandfather, and the sounds of his clapsticks echoed in her mind. The representatives from the museums apologized to the Waluwarra people, acknowledging the staff's efforts in facilitating the return.
The repatriation process is a challenging endeavor, with more ancestral remains being discovered than can be returned. Over 1,790 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains have been repatriated from 11 countries in the past 35 years, with an unknown number still abroad. Australian museums are making efforts to return these remains, with Indigenous-led teams taking the lead. However, the process is hindered by insufficient records, native title disputes, community fears, and inadequate funding.
Laura McBride, the director of First Nations at the Australian Museum, emphasizes the importance of repatriation, stating that the remains are not just ancient artifacts but the grandparents and great-grandparents of the present. The Queensland Museum also faces a similar challenge, holding numerous ancestral remains collected by the native mounted police. The process of returning these remains to their communities is a crucial step towards reconciliation, as stated by Bianca Beetson, the museum's executive director of First Nations.
Despite the challenges, the repatriation process is seen as an essential act of reconciliation. The question arises: do we want these ancestors to remain in museums for another few centuries? The journey towards healing and reconciliation continues, with the hope that the return of ancestral remains will bring closure and a sense of belonging to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
