Central Land Council
in this section
CLC Press Releases
- 14 Augyust 2008 2008
- Communities have their say on intervention ›› more
- 31 July 2008 2008
- Fairfax news in bad taste ›› more
- 24 July 2008 2008
- election: accountability needed ›› more
- 17 July 2008 2008
- Royal commission needed into NT funding ›› more
- 11 July 2008 2008
- Simpson Desert: the last land rights claim under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act ›› more
- 8 July 2008 2008
- Sacred site damage at Wilora ›› more
- 30 May 2008
- Seal the Mereenie Loop Road Now ›› more
- 27 May 2008
- Angela Pamela Negotiations ›› more
- 9 May 2008
- Angela Pamela and the native title process ›› more
- 18 February 2008
- Coalition should support permit system ›› more
- 15 February 2008
- Politicians threaten to derail fresh start ›› more
- 22 January 2008
- Police ignorance upsets Lajamanu community ›› more
- 26 November 2007
- Optimism for a fresh consensual approach on Aboriginal affairs ›› more
- 21 November 2007
- Concerns over Central Petroleum tactics ›› more
Sacred object repatriation
Non-Aborigines began removing sacred objects from Central Australia more than a hundred years ago.
Some were taken as trophies or curios; many were gathered in the name of science. Through time, literally thousands of sacred objects from the Centre came to reside in private and public collections in Australia and overseas.
The loss of such objects has resulted in a profound and ongoing sense of sorrow for those robbed of their heritage. The objects are an integral part of Aboriginal people's relationship to their land.
The CLC's position on the objects and their ownership is simple: they derive from Aboriginal tradition; the objects are the property of the descendants of the people from whom they were taken; and they must be returned as quickly as possible
The CLC is often approached by people wanting to return sacred objects in their possession.
This signals a growing understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal culture and, in particular, of the significance of secret/sacred objects to Central Australian Aboriginal people. An example of this is the return of the Karlu Karlu boulder from Flynn's grave in Alice Springs to its Kaytetye, Warumungu and Alyawarr traditional owners. The boulder was replaced by an Arrernte sacred stone.
Wherever and whenever possible, the Central Land Council facilitates the repatriation process through its Centre for the Return of Cultural Property, a secure area, where objects are temporarily held pending owner identification. Many items have been returned to traditional custodians.