Six First Nations ancestors have been returned from New Zealand following a cultural ceremony held on Wednesday.
The repatriations include five ancestors returned by the Auckland War Memorial Museum and one ancestor by the University of Auckland.
Dambeemangaddee community representatives from Western Australia's Collier Bay area travelled to New Zealand to participate in the ceremony, held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, to accompany their ancestors home.
Dambeemangaddee community member, Gary Umbagai thanked those involved in supporting the return of his community's ancestors as it is part of the healing process.
"Within our cultural beliefs as Wanjina-Wunggurr people, we recognise that the spirit of our ancestors is embedded in their bones. Our people's bones should be in their Country, not somewhere else; that is not right," he said.
"We are pleased to see our ancestor being returned and we know that the spirit of that person will be happy to be home, after such a long time away in a strange place."
One ancestor was returned under stewardship of the Australian Government at the request of the Wamba Wemba community of Barham in New South Wales, with the Government providing care for two ancestors with provenance to South Australia and two ancestors with provenance to Australia, until such time as they can be returned to their respective communities.
Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, commended all parties involved of the ancestral return.
"The removal of ancestors from Country and taking them so far from home is a historical injustice – and these returns go some way towards righting those wrongs," Senator McCarthy said.
"I know these returns will mean so much to the families and communities affected."
Australia's National Cultural Policy acknowledges the importance of respecting and promoting the rights of First Nations people to repatriate their ancestors, with more than 1700 First Nations ancestors returned from overseas collecting institutions and private collectors over the past 30 years.
Federal Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke said ancestral returns is "essential work and is vital for healing and reconciliation".
"We'll continue to advocate for First Nations communities to see the dignified return of their ancestors to their rightful lands," Minister Burke said.
The federal government says it is continuing discussions with multiple New Zealand collecting institutions and universities to support further repatriations in pursuit of further voluntary and unconditional returns of First Nations ancestors held overseas.
