After years of negotiations, remains of 11 First Nations ancestors have been returned by two United Kingdom institutions.
They include six ancestors repatriated from the Oxford Museum of Natural History and five ancestors from the Pitt Rivers Museum.
Five of the ancestors will be returned to their respective Traditional Custodians whilst the remaining six will be returned under Australian Government stewardship.
The Federal Government says it will ensure the care and dignity of the six ancestors under its stewardship while research is undertaken to determine their Traditional Custodians.
Representatives from numerous Aboriginal organisations attended a smoking ceremony and handover in Oxford on Wednesday to receive their ancestors and accompany their old people home.
They included Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council and Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council in New South Wales; the Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation and the Ngarrindjeri Community in South Australia; and the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation in Victoria.
Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation representative, Brett Miller, said the handover provides an opportunity for his people to conduct sacred cultural customs.
"Bringing our ancestors back home to country where they belong provides a chance for our people and our community to grieve for our ancestors and to complete our cultural customs," Mr Miller told The Australian.
The ancestral remains will return this week to communities in Bathurst, Ceduna, Sydney, Adelaide, Ballarat, Erub Island in the Torres Strait and the Nullarbor Plains.
Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, said returning ancestors to Country is an important step reconciliation and truth-telling in Australia.
"The return will mean so much to the First Nations communities affected," Ms Burney said.
"This is critical work towards healing and justice. I commend all the parties involved."
The return means more than 1209 ancestors will have been returned from the United Kingdom to Australia.
Federal Minister for the Arts Tony Burke said securing the return of First Nations ancestors is essential government work.
"It brings dignity and respect to ancestors and their communities and is a crucial part of our country's ongoing journey of reconciliation," he said.
"Our government will continue to advocate for the unconditional return of First Nations ancestors held in overseas collections to their rightful place – at home, on Country, with their people."
The return is part of an agreement between the museums and the Australian Government to repatriate a total of 30 ancestors, with the government saying it is committed to securing the return of ancestors held overseas to their rightful homes.
Mark Koolmarie carries the remains of his Indigenous ancestors after they were returned to the Ngarrindjeri community after Wednesday's smoking ceremony and handover.
