The return of two collections of culturally significant objects have taken place in Los Angeles this week.
Both returns were facilitated by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) as part of their Return of Cultural Heritage (RoCH) program.
20 culturally significant items were handed back to the Warumungu Community, Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, in a ceremony at the Fowler Museum at UCLA on Wednesday.
The AIATSIS team worked closely with Warumungu Elders and the Fowler’s collection team since March 2021 to identify objects of cultural importance.
The objects include clubs, Wirli or Ngurrulumuru (fighting pick), Marttan (knives), Murkutu (sheath), Kupija (adze), and a Wartilykirri (hooked ‘number seven’ boomerang), all of which are being unconditionally returned to Warumungu's Nyinkka Nyunyu Art & Culture Centre and will be cared for in accordance with the traditions and customs of the Warumungu community.
Marttan (knife) and Murkutu (sheath) were part of the collection returned to the Warramunga community. Source: Supplied / Don Cole, Fowler Museum, UCLA
"A lot of those artefacts that museums have went before us and we didn’t even see them. But we know what they’ve been used for (in the past) and how important it is," he said.
"I believe in the old days our people had songs and they told us the story about all those things. Us Elders we can teach our young mob about those things because they can’t just learn about whitefella stuff, they got to learn our ways too, our culture.
"I’m happy that a lot of these artefacts are coming back and thank you to all the museums. They’ve thought about how they want to give them back. That’s important”.
Artefacts returned from the Fowler Museum Credit: Supplied
Largest return from a private collection for AIATSIS
116 cultural materials were also returned from a private collection on Tuesday.
The items, which include 42 highly significant cultural heritage artefacts as well as 74 rare glass-plate (lantern) slides were part of a private collection held by Richard Kelton.
Mr Kelton collected Aboriginal art from the late 1970s and passed away in 2019.
Interim Chief Executive of AIATSIS, Leonard Hill called the return, the largest from a private collection under the RoCH program, a momentous occasion.
"This return underscores the importance of building respectful, productive, and collaborative relationships with collectors to ensure that cultural material is returned to those that can best care for it," he said.
The AIATSIS RoCH team had worked with Mark Kelton (Richard Kelton’s son) and Miriam Grundy (Kelton Collection Manager) for several years before the return took place in Mr Kelton's memory on Tuesday.
"On behalf of the descendants of the people who crafted these artefacts, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Mark Kelton and the Administrative Trust Under the Richard Kelton Living Trust for the deep care and commitment they have shown in returning these materials," said Mr Hill.
Ceremony at the Fowler Museum in Los Angeles. Credit: Supplied
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, said bringing the items home was an important step towards returning them to their Traditional Owners.
"When we bring history back home, we help build a greater understanding of our shared history so that generations to come can join the journey towards reconciliation," she said.
"Thank you to AIATSIS and the Kelton family for working together to ensure these items get one step closer to returning home.”
