Paper short abstract:

The Australian Government's Indigenous Repatriation Policy supports the return of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains from overseas institutions and private holders. This paper addresses the challenges and solutions of the recent repatriation of the mummified body of King Ng:tja.

Paper long abstract:

The Australian Government's Indigenous Repatriation Policy supports the repatriation of Australian Indigenous ancestral remains from overseas. Where the communities of origin are known, they are involved in guiding the repatriation process; however, the repatriation of Australian Indigenous ancestral remains can pose challenges for the communities who receive them. How might the ancestors be appropriately handled and received when there is no precedent in a community's experience for such a significant event? What happens when a community no longer lives at the location from whence the ancestors were taken? How should the remains of the ancestors be interred if burial practices have changed since the ancestor has passed away?

This paper addresses the recent repatriation of the mummified body of Aboriginal man King Ng:tja (or Barry Clarke) from Berlin to North Queensland, supported under the Australian Government's Indigenous Repatriation Program. It presents the thoughts and actions of the primary family representative of the deceased, from receiving her ancestor in Berlin, to the ongoing arrangements for the journey to his final resting place, and discusses the creation of new cultural practices that connect the past with the present to determine future actions.