Museum agrees to return remains to ancestral homeland

Oxford's Pitt Rivers Museum has agreed to return more than three dozen sets of human remains to the Naga people, whose ancestral homeland they have been displayed in for over a century. The museum removed all human remains from public display in 2020 as part of a decolonisation process, but the 39 ancestral remains were not among them. A formal decision was made by the University of Oxford Council to return the remains, which were taken during British colonial rule in India and Myanmar. The museum claims to hold the largest collection of Naga artefacts in the world, but many were acquired unethically during colonial rule. The return of the remains is seen as a step towards spiritual healing and reconciliation. The Naga delegation that visited the museum last year had requested the objects be returned. The museum's director, Prof Laura Van Broekhoven, acknowledged that the process has been long and difficult, but expressed hope for reconciliation and healing. The return of the ancestral remains is expected to bring closure to the Naga people and their families. The Pitt Rivers Museum will return the remains to the Naga people, who are from northeastern India and Myanmar.