Former Millicent resident Major “Moogy” Sumner has recently travelled to the USA to witness the repatriation of the earthly remains of 25 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors.
They had been held at the elite Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC.
Wearing distinctive traditional garb, Major Sumner performed a smoking ceremony outside the museum to prepare the ancestors for their journey home.
The Smithsonian Institute hosted the handover ceremony where they acknowledged their commitment to repatriating ancestors to their traditional custodians.
As part of the ceremony the Australian Ambassador to the United States Arthur Sinodinos spoke of the significance of returning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors and the vital role that it plays in reconciliation and healing.
Two of the ancestors returned are from the Narungga and Kaurna communities in South Australia.
Mr Sumner is a Kaurna Elder and he joined other representatives from these South Australian communities who travelled to the United States of America to receive and accompany their ancestors home.
“The repatriation of our Old People back to Country is crucial for our First Nations Peoples’ healing process to take place, and only when our Ancestors are returned to Country, will this healing process commence,’ said Doug Milera, of the Narungga Nation.
‘It is important for institutions to recognise the significance of returning the ancestors back to Country.
“The repatriation process allows us to reconcile the past wrongs and make things right for our ancestors,” said Allan Sumner, of the Kaurna Nation.
The remaining ancestors have been returned under the stewardship of the Australian Government, which will arrange for their safekeeping until their traditional custodians are determined.
Over 125 ancestors have now been returned to Australia from the USA.
A further repatriation from the Smithsonian Institute will be undertaken at a later date to return the remaining ancestors held in its care to Australia.
