Remains buried after 200 years

Noel James (left), Hazel Rhodes, Arthur Ferguson, Bertha Kapeen, John Morrissey, Dorothy Harris-Gordon, and Gwen Hickling at the Lismore TAFE. They were there to mark the return of the remains of a man and a woman from the Bundjalung nation for burial in their homeland from the Netherlands last year after 200 years.

Cathy Adams

AFTER nearly 200 years abroad, two Bundjalung ancestors have come home.

The remains of the ‘old people' were brought back from The Netherlands in October last year, and were returned to the country in an emotional ceremony yesterday.

Bundjalung elders Gwen Hickling and John Morrissey accompanied the skeletal remains of a man and a woman back to Australia.

Aunty Gwen said the remains were over 200 years old when they wereremoved and sent overseas to the Leiden University Medical Centre in Holland by English botanist Joseph Banks.

“They were nearly 400 years old when they went over, so it's pretty classical,” she said.

Elder Bertha Kapeen admitted she got ‘goose bumps' thinking about it.

“It's very significant for Aboriginal people everywhere, not just here,” she said.

“They were taken over there forresearch and left there, but now they're being repatriated.”

Aunty Bertha led the return to country ceremony in Lismore yesterday morning, which saw the bark-wrapped remains placed on a table covered with the Aboriginal flag.

Students from Goonellabah Public School performed a welcoming song, before the remains were blessed by Elder Dorothy Harris-Gordon.

The remains were then taken to a national park reserve within the Richmond River area to be buried.

Elder Hazel Rhodes said they would be planting trees near the remains, and a plaque would be placed there at a later date.

Aunty Hazel said her ancestor's remains had been kept at Southern Cross University since their return to the Northern Rivers.

“They were up at the uni in aspecial room. They were happy to have them,” she said.

“We had a couple of elders go up there and wrap the remains.”

Ashley Moran, Aboriginal heritage conservation officer for the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, organised yesterday's ceremony on behalf of Bundjalung elders.

“As a young Bundjalung man it's a really good feeling to be helping my people come home, and help my elders here,” he said.

“I'm very honoured to be doing this.”

Mr Moran said his department assisted with the repatriation of theremains once they had arrived atthe Australian National Museum in Canberra.

The remains were retrieved as part of the National Repatriation Program, organised by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Mr Moran acknowledged the assistance of the Australian National Museum and the Dutch ambassador in repatriating the remains.

“The ambassador from Holland was very supportive,” he said.

“They made the transfer much smoother, and played an important role in welcoming the elders.”

While the return of revered ‘old people' is priceless, Mr Moran estimated the process cost around $25,000.

Aunty Hazel hoped three other sets of Bundjalung remains would be brought back in the near future.

“There's a few more over there, and I don't know when we'll get them back,” she said. “I hope they bring them over in the future.”

Mr Moran was impressed with the ceremony yesterday.

“It was a really good turnout, and good to see the young kids gettinginvolved,” he said.

“The ceremony was very successful, and the elders were overwhelmed. The old people found their final resting place in peace.”

Aunty Gwen was glad to have her ancestor's remains back.

“It's actually the end of their journey, their resting place,” she said.

“They're wandering no more. They've come home.”