The repatriation is the result of a sustained process of community consultation that began when Melissa Malu, AM Head of Pasifika Collections and Engagement, met members of the Rapa Nui delegation at FestPAC in Hawai’i in June 2024. Ongoing dialogue, international consultation and careful negotiation between the AM and the community, including a visit by the Rapa Nui delegation to Sydney in June 2025, led to today’s return of the ancestors.
“This is a profound moment, for the Rapa Nui people, and for the Australian Museum,” Laura McBride, AM Director First Nations said. “These ancestors were taken from their sacred resting places without the consent of their people as part of a colonial system that caused deep and lasting harm. Returning them is both an acknowledgement of that history and an act of deep respect for the Rapa Nui community and their right to determine what happens to their ancestors.”
Australian Museum Director and CEO Kim McKay AO said the AM acknowledged the imperative to address museum collecting practices of the past.
“The Australian Museum acknowledges the circumstances of how these ancestors came to be in our collection and is deeply sorry for this past wrong. Returning them is an act of moral responsibility. We are honoured to have walked this path with the Rapa Nui community, we are grateful for their guidance through this process and we are glad these ancestors are going home,” Ms McKay said.
The Repatriation ceremony, held at the Australian Museum this morning, included a Welcome to Country, the signing of custodianship documentation, and cultural contributions from both the First Nations Division and the Rapa Nui delegation.
For media inquiries, email Clare Patience, Head of Communications, Australian Museum via media@australian.museum