Ancestral heads make journey from NZ museums to Easter Island

Joaquin Tuki Tepano and Ida Huke Atan carry the skulls in boxes supported by the delegation from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) outside Tuahiwi Marae in North Canterbury on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

Ancestral skulls have been returned to Easter Island after 70 years of being on display at South Island museums.

The heads of two ancestors (tipuna) from Canterbury Museum and Otago Museum were handed over to the people of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) at a ceremony at Tuahiwi Marae in North Canterbury on Saturday.

The skulls will now make the 7000km journey back to their home in South America escorted by a 12-strong delegation from Easter Island, repatriation researchers, government officials and a small delegation from Ngai Tuahuriri kaitiaki.

Canterbury Museum was first approached by the Rapa Nui Ka Haka Hoki Mai Te Mana Tupuna Repatriation Programme in February 2014 about getting the heads back.

Otago Museum then identified it also had an ancestor from Easter Island which it could also return.

Since then the museums and Te Papa have been working with the people of Easter Island and the governments of New Zealand and Chile to return them home.

The ancestors will depart New Zealand on Tuesday and a ceremony will be held at the Easter Island Museum on their arrival on Wednesday.

Puamiria Parata-Goodall, who is the kaiurungi/chairwoman of the Ohaki O Nga Tipuna or Maori advisory committee for the museum, said it was a very emotional event where the museum finally got the opportunity to farewell two ancestors and send them home to their people.

They are the first repatriations from the Canterbury and Otago Museums to be returned overseas and the fourth in New Zealand.

Canterbury Museum director Anthony Wright said the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes was one of the reasons for it taking four years to return, along with the large amount of paperwork required by both countries.

He said the Easter Island community had been incredibly generous and gifted a sculpture from Rapa Nui to go in the skull's place at the museum.

"It's been truly wonderful to bond with them [people of Rapa Nui]."

Canterbury Museum has housed the tipuna since the Government purchased 3184 Maori and Pacific taonga from British collector William Oldman on August 13, 1948. The collection is held in trust with Te Papa but the objects are scattered in museums around the country.