00:00Just over 130 years ago, these carvings were commissioned by Karaitiyana Takamoana.
00:12These two carved po behind us consist of four figures, all of which carry meaningful heritage
00:22stories for us.
00:24So you're one of the descendants of the Chiefs who commissioned these carvings.
00:29What's the process been like of getting them back?
00:34Very humbling, very meaningful and very healing in many ways to be able to see and be part
00:40of the process of this journey, yes.
00:44We're just seeing some of the original pictures of them.
00:49Where are they going to go when they are returned?
00:53At this stage, they're going to be returned to our office.
00:59We will have them on display until a facility is built for them.
01:05Hopefully shortly.
01:06Okay.
01:07Anna, this is a tricky issue like a lot of museums around the world are grappling with at the
01:12moment.
01:13How does your institution manage repatriation of objects like this?
01:18James, the Museum Board has adopted policy here at the South Australian Museum for Restitution
01:24of Cultural Heritage.
01:26So we have a framework in place that looks at criteria and circumstances under which those
01:32objects were originally acquired and assesses them against claims made by traditional custodians.
01:39We rely on human rights frameworks and the United Nations protocols to ensure that we're
01:45speaking to the right people about the right objects and getting them home in ways that
01:50are mutually beneficial and respectful to both the traditional custodian communities and also
01:58to improve our way of interpreting material here at the South Australian Museum.
02:02We're just seeing some pictures from the museum now.
02:04And what's going to happen at the ceremony today?
02:11So we're going to get together shortly and conclude with some final speeches, some cultural
02:21references before we close these tonga, these carvings, in their travelling containers.
02:29They'll lead the museum through the front doors.
02:32There's a local MÄori community that is coming in who's been very excited to engage in the
02:37restitution process here in Adelaide.
02:40And they'll be performing for the tonga on the way out.
02:45And then they'll go into the truck and make their way home.
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