The Czech Republic returns Australian Indigenous ancestral remains to their Traditional Owners
On 18 October 2012, a delegation of Northern Territory Indigenous Traditional Owners attended a ceremony in Brno, Czech Republic, to receive remains of their ancestors held in the Moravian Museum’s anthropological collection since the late 1960s.
The handover ceremony was the result of cooperation between the Australian and Czech Governments and the Moravian Museum. The official transfer and export documents were signed by H.E. Jean Dunn, Ambassador of Australia to the Czech Republic, on behalf of the Australian Government and by Dr Martin Reissner, Director of the Moravian Museum, in the presence of representatives of the Czech Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a speech in both Indigenous and English languages, the Traditional Owners expressed their gratitude to the Moravian Museum and Czech Government for facilitating the return home of their ancestors’ remains. The official handover was concluded with a traditional smoking ceremony.
The Australian Government has long been committed to the repatriation of Indigenous remains held in overseas collections to their communities of origin in Australia. The return of Indigenous ancestral remains from the Moravian Museum was an exemplary demonstration of the close relationship between the Australian and Czech Governments.
Ambassador Jean Dunn with the Traditional Owners and representatives of the Moravian Museum and the Czech Ministry of Culture
Ambassador Jean Dunn signs handover documents on behalf of the Australian Government
Traditional smoking ceremony