Graduate Certificate of the Repatriation of Ancestral Remains and Cultural Objects

The Australian National University

From the earliest days of colonisation, Indigenous ancestral remains were taken from funerary sites and sent to museums worldwide. The theft and scientific misuse of First Nations bodily remains was a colonial violence, the impact of which continue today. Historically, Indigenous people opposed the theft of their ancestors when they could. From the 1970s the global repatriation movement began to emerge when First Nations, particularly in Australia, New Zealand, and North America started campaigning globally for the return of their ancestors and cultural objects. In some countries this prompted unprecedented change in museum policies and the teaching and practice of associated disciplines. Repatriation can play a fundamental role in healing and reconciliation. Today, repatriation of ancestral remains and cultural objects continues to be a key priority for Indigenous peoples in Australia and overseas.