CLC | Our Culture

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CLC policy on sacred objects

The Aboriginal custodians remain the rightful owners of secret and sacred objects and they have the right to decide who shall hold these objects and how and where objects will be held according to Aboriginal Law.
Where the custodians for sacred obects can be identified and located, and they wish to have their objects returned, these objects, must be returned as soon as possible.
If custodians do not wish to have their objects returned, their wishes as to the future care, storage, and access to their objects must be respected and observed.
Where custodians cannot be located, sacred objects should be treated in a way, which is consisistent with Aboriginal Law;
They must not be displayed to the public or viewed by women and children.
Photographs or descriptions of the objects must not be displayed or published.
The objects must remain available for identification and return to custodians when and if that is possible.
Sacred objects must not be sold or transferred to private or overseas parties because this prevents adequate control over how such objects are stored and handled.
Commercial trade in sacred objects is itself offensive to Aboriginal people and culture and the Central Land Council calls on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments to discourage such trade and to do all in their power to ensure that sacred objects are returned to the control of custodians.