Gary Umbagai travelled to Auckland to bring his ancestor home and said it’s been an emotional journey. “It was very big [moment], but we’ve done it with the right people of this country, the Maori people.
They’ve done a special welcome for us and there was a lot of respect and gave us much appreciation,” he said.
About 1,700 human remains have been returned to Australia by international institutions in the past 30 years, bringing to a close a macabre trade in centuries past of grave robbing. Mr Umbagai urged museums and collectors to repatriate sacred objects and human remains to Traditional Owner groups.
“It’s now time to return ancestors to the rightful people. We need them back,” he told ABC Kimberley from Auckland.
“It’s something that’s missing from us. We need to set our hearts and minds at ease.”
