The Manchester Museum is to return 43 items to Australian residents, almost a century after they came into the museum's possession, writes The Guardian. It is the first return of this kind in the UK, and is taking place in conjunction with the 250th anniversary of James Cook's first trip to Australia.
It is, among other things, an instrument used in Aboriginal rituals and the cult object "churinga".
The first items will be handed over during a ceremony in November to the Gangalidda Garawa people, whose cultural heritage is believed to be 70,000 years old. According to spokesperson Mangubadijarri Yanner, it is a central part of their healing process.
- Bringing back these sacred objects is important and necessary to revitalize the culture, because deep within these objects is our knowledge, our stories, traditions and stories.
According to The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Cook's arrival marked the beginning of the theft of Aboriginal cultural heritage. Several groups of urinals have protested against the celebration of his voyage of discovery.