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The Seåttle Art Museum. The Museum has become the first American institution to independent initiate the return of a sacred Aboriginal object. |
Sacred Aboriginal object returned from USA
Thursday, 25 June 2009
INTERNATIONAL, June 30, 2009: An American museum has returned a sacred Aboriginal object, the first time a US institution has independently initiated a repatriation.
The Seattle Art Museum has held the sacred object since 1971, after it was collected the previous year. It has never been viewed publicly.
The object is sacred and secret to central Australia, and is not supposed to be viewed by uninitiated men, women or children, the National Museum of Australia (NMA) says.
Dr Michael Pickering, director of the NMA’s Repatriation Program, said in a statement that the museum would now consult with central Australian elders and representatives in order to proceed with returning the object.
Until then, it will be housed in a restricted store.
Director of the NMA Craddock Mortan praised the Seattle Art Museum for repatriating the object.
"The Seattle Art Museum has shown great responsibility, as well as compassion and respect for Aboriginal culture, in deciding to repatriate this object. It is to be commended for its initiative and leadership," Mr Morton said.
Interim director of the Seattle Art Museum Maryann Jordan said it appreciated the guidance of the NMA in the process.
“The Seattle Art Museum is one of the few places in the U.S. for Australian Aboriginal art to be seen and discussed,” Ms Jordan said.
“We have a deep respect for Aboriginal heritage and understand the importance of this object to the culture that created it. We are proud to return it to its rightful home."
A large amount of Aboriginal remains and artifacts were taken from their homelands and transported to overseas institutions for scientific study during the 18th-20th century.
The movement to repatriate the remains became stronger in the 1970s after lobbying by Aboriginal communities.
There have been several notable handbacks since, including the remains of 17 Tasmanian Aboriginal people in 2007 and the skull of famous Aboriginal warrior Yagan in 1997.
The Smithsonian Institute became the first US institution to return remains when it gave back 33 Aboriginal remains after a request by the Australian government.
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