Oxford Returns 39 Naga Ancestral Skulls to Nagaland
Oxford University's Pitt Rivers Museum has returned 39 Naga ancestral skulls to Nagaland after a century in custody.
After more than a century of being held in a museum far from their home, 39 Naga ancestral remains have finally returned to Nagaland. The Pitt Rivers Museum, part of Oxford University, has officially handed over the remains to representatives from the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and the Naga Tribe Hoho.
The repatriation involves 39 skulls that are estimated to have been removed from the region between 1910 and 1940. These remains were part of a much larger collection of over 6,500 Naga artifacts housed at the museum. In 2020, as part of a broader effort toward institutional decolonization, the museum had already begun withdrawing these items from public display.
Dr. Ellen Konyak Jamir, the coordinator of the 'Recover, Restore and Decolonise' initiative, highlighted the importance of this moment for the Naga people.
"Repatriation is asserting the Naga right to ancestral human remains. Remains that have been in others' custody for more than 100 years, and now they are ours," she said.She noted that the return is the result of a long, continuous dialogue that has allowed both the museum and the Naga community to address historical grievances.
A Homecoming in Kohima
The community is now preparing to honor their ancestors with a traditional homecoming. Dr. Jamir expressed her hope that the story would culminate in the Naga homeland at the Naga Solidarity Park in Kohima. The plan is to gather the Naga people to pay their respects before the final burial takes place.
Dr. Visier Sanyü, a member of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, confirmed that the remains will be made available for the public to view for a short period.
- The skulls will be kept at the Naga Solidarity Park for approximately two to three days.
- A formal burial ceremony will follow the public viewing period.