Te Papa To Undertake Repatriation Of Māori Remains
13 November 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
Te Papa To Undertake Second Largest Repatriation Of Māori Human Remains From The United Kingdom And Europe
Thirty-three Mäori
ancestral remains will be repatriated by Te Papa from five
museums and institutions in Wales, Scotland, Sweden and the
Republic of Ireland between 16 November and 28 November.
The largest repatriation took place in 2007 when 45 kōiwi
tangata were repatriated from the United Kingdom.
The
institutions are:
• National Museum Wales, Cardiff
(Monday 16 November)
• Gothenburg Natural History
Museum, Gothenburg, Sweden (Wednesday 18
November)
• Museum of World Culture, Gothenburg, Sweden
(Wednesday 18 November)
• Hunterian Museum, Glasgow
University, Scotland (Monday 23 November)
• Trinity
College Dublin, Republic of Ireland (Wednesday 25
November)
Note: the dates above are Northern Hemisphere
dates
The majority of the ancestral being repatriated are köiwi tangata (skeletal remains) and four are toi moko (tattooed preserved heads). The köiwi tangata and toi moko will be welcomed onto Te Papa’s marae in a ceremony on Monday 30 November.
‘This is both a time for sad reflection on the turbulent journeys these ancestors experienced and, at the same time, a cause for joy and hope as they are returned’, said Ms Michelle Hippolite, Te Papa’s Acting Chief Executive and Kaihautū.
‘On behalf of the Karanga Aotearoa Repatriation Team, I thank the institutions involved for their positive decisions to repatriate and for their support in the repatriation planning’, said Ms Hippolite.
Further information about the repatriating institutions and the Karanga Aotearoa Repatriation Programme follows the media release.
ENDS