Te Papa welcomes Māori and Moriori remains

27 May 2016

Media release: Te Papa welcomes Māori and Moriori remains from Smithsonian Institution and UK museums

The remains of sixty Māori and Moriori individuals, returned from museums and private collections, have been welcomed onto Te Papa's marae today, Friday 27 May.

Ancestral remains belonging to at least 54 individuals were repatriated by Washington DC's Smithsonian Institution, including four toi moko - mummified tattooed Māori heads.

Remains from a further six individuals were returned from other US and UK institutions.

This is the second-largest repatriation in the history of the Karanga Aotearoa repatriation programme, which returns the remains of indigenous people to New Zealand.

Many of the Smithsonian's remains were collected during the United States' Transit of Venus expedition of 1874-75, and the Wilkes Expedition of 1838-42. According to Wilkes' journals, members of his expedition were present at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Te Papa Kaihautū (Maori co-leader) Dr Arapata Hakiwai says the collections date to a dark time in the history of collecting and museums.

"These were dark days, when these tūpuna (ancestors) were traded, collected and stolen, but today we have the opportunity to put right the mistakes of the past," he says.

"We are extremely thankful to the Smithsonian Institution for their efforts in returning our ancestors to their homes."

"Their genuine commitment to the return of these remains allows us to resolve a dark period in our history."

Dr Hakiwai acknowledged all the institutions who had returned remains.

"These are not easy discussions, and we are very grateful to all the institutions, who have shown great sensitivity and respect to reach this milestone with us."

Director of the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History Dr Kirk Johnson says the Smithsonian was delighted to work with Te Papa.

“We are delighted that we could work closely with Te Papa on the return of these Māori and Moriori individuals to New Zealand,” says Dr. Kirk Johnson, Sant Director, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.

“I join the leadership and staff of Te Papa in recognizing this as an important landmark in the positive relations between our two museums, and the people of New Zealand and the United States."

Karanga Aotearoa is a government programme with the mandate to negotiate the return of human remains to New Zealand. Since its inception in 1990, the remains of more than 400 individuals have been returned from institutions around the world.

Chair of the Karanga Aotearoa repatriation committee, Professor Pou Temara, says the work of the programme is essential.

“The spirits of our kin which have long been in suspension for these many years can now be appropriately consigned to Hawaiki,” says Professor Temara.

Hawaiiki is the traditional Māori place of origin, where spirits return to after death.

The return of the remains was supported by Air New Zealand.

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