A pōwhiri will be held at Te Papa on Sunday. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
After almost 80 years of negotiations with Austria, more than 60 Māori and Moriori ancestral remains will return to Aotearoa.
The remains of around 64 individuals will be repatriated from Vienna's Natural History Museum which is the largest repatriation from Austria.
Records show 49 of these ancestors were collected by Austrian taxidermist and notorious grave-robber Andreas Reischek who spent 12 years in New Zealand from 1877 to 1889.
A delegation from Aotearoa will attend a formal handover ceremony tonight at Vienna's Natural History Museum, followed by a pōwhiri on Sunday at Te Papa.
Repatriation Advisory Panel chair, professor Sir Pou Temara acknowledged the importance of this major repatriation.
"These ancestors were stolen by those with no regard for the Māori communities they belonged to," Sir Pou said.
"In his diary entries Reischek boasts of eluding Māori surveillance, looting sacred places and breaking tapu - he knew exactly what he was doing. His actions were wrong and dishonest.
"It is always a spiritual relief and privilege to welcome back our ancestors who have been victims of such wrongdoing. Culturally we know that they are weeping with joy now that they have returned to Aotearoa where at last they will rest in peace," Sir Pou Temara said.
Many of the remains were taken by Austrian taxidermist and notorious grave-robber Andreas Reischek. Photo: SUPPLIED
Te Papa Māori co-leader Dr Arapata Hakiwai said it had been a long-awaited process between the museum and the Austrian government.
"This historic repatriation helps to reconcile the colonial past and opens a new chapter in relationships between Māori, Moriori, and the New Zealand and Austrian governments," Hakiwai said.
Vienna's Natural History Museum director general Dr Katrin Vohland said it was a significant process for all parties.
"I'm impressed by how much the repatriation process is driven by the wish for reconciliation, and am happy we can contribute to the healing process," Vohland said,
"I'm thankful for the opportunities to let the relationship between Austria and New Zealand grow trustfully on a scientific and personal basis."
Te Papa's acting head of repatriation Te Arikirangi Mamaku-Ironside has worked closely with colleagues in Austria.
"The Natural History Museum, Vienna has made a profound commitment to right the wrongs of the past, and approached this work with a spirit of openness and reconciliation."
Andreas Reischek's diary entry. Photo: SUPPLIED
But he also acknowledged how there was still a lot of work to do to bring all their ancestors home.
The skeletal remains included skulls without mandibles, craniums, loose mandibles and maxilla fragments.
They will be held in Te Papa's wāhi tapu while research is done and negotiations with whānau to determine their final resting place.
It's understood most of these remains were taken from Rēkohu Wharekauri (Chatham Islands), Whanganui, Christchurch, Lyttelton, Tāmaki Makaurau, and wāhi tapu throughout Te Tai Tokerau including Whangaroa and Taiharuru.
Further research will be carried out to determine the locations where these ancestors were taken from.
