Baw Baw Shire Council will make a history making move soon as it prepares to commence the process of repatriating 37 cultural items back to the Lardil People of Mornington Island.
Council will officially release the items from its Municipal Civic Art Collection and therefore become a part of a movement towards the repatriation of Indigenous Australian Ancestral Remains and Secret Sacred Objects to their true owners.
The 37 items originally came to Warragul in 1982 with former local family Colin and Elizabeth Goldberg, Colin was honoured as an Elder of the Lardil people. He and Elizabeth lived on Mornington Island from 1974 to 1976, where they worked closely with the Lardil community.
Before relocating, he and his wife were gifted (and purchased) some of the items. They then later moved to another area and gifted the collection to the West Gippsland Arts Centre in 2013. In 2023, the items were rediscovered, and Council then commenced the process of returning them to their rightful owners.
To Council's knowledge, this process has not been embarked on before, outside of established galleries and museums. Council obtained letters of support from both the Elders of Kurnai Nations and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung, and importantly, the Lardil People, who look forward to having the items returned to their rightful Keeping Place.
Baw Baw Shire Mayor Cr Danny Goss said the safe return of these items to their Traditional Custodians was just one small role Council could play in the reconciliation process.
"Since confirming the true owners of these items, Council has been determined to follow through the safe return of these and advocate for the Indigenous Repatriation process," Cr Goss said.
Cr Allen, who spoke to the item at the Council meeting, added that it was not hard to formally support this motion.
"For centuries, Indigenous people around the world have had artworks and ceremonial items taken from their lands without consent and often in the name of exploration," she said.
"Returning these artifacts provides the opportunity for healing and understanding."
She also mentioned that Council cannot display these items here and the respectful and right thing to do it to release them back to their rightful owners.
