Narungga ancestors returned to Country

Ancestors from the south of Narungga Country were finally reburied on the Yorke Peninsula in October last year, following two decades of negotiations with the South Australian Museum.

One ancestor was returned from Washington’s Smithsonian Institute in July 2022, while the remaining 37 known remains were held in the SA Museum’s Keeping Place before they were laid to rest in a community-led ceremony at Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park.

Chair of the Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park Co-Management Board, Doug Milera, who has been heavily involved in the repatriations, said this is only the beginning of Narungga’s repatriation journey.

“It’s a momentous day for the Narungga people as we return 38 of our southern ancestors to Country in what we hope is the start of the return of all our ancestors, however there is still a lot of work to be done,” Mr Milera said.

Since 2018, the Narungga community has been working with the South Australian Museum and various stakeholders through community meetings and consultations to prepare for the repatriation and ceremony.

Chair of the Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation (NNAC), Anne Newchurch described the challenge of finding a suitable location to rebury the ancestors.

“Narungga park rangers have worked to identify an appropriate area where the ancestors will be laid to rest. This involves ensuring the area is elevated, away from weather disturbances such as wind and rain, and is regularly monitored to ensure any risks are mitigated,” Ms Newchurch said.

“It’s a very emotional day as we finally return our ancestors to Country on a designated piece of Narungga land, but it’s also a sense of achievement because we’re bringing them home.”

The South Australian Museum will continue working with the Narungga community and other stakeholders to find suitable reburial locations for the ancestors disturbed from the northern parts of the peninsula, so that they can also return to Country as soon as possible.