Dimapur: The Naga delegation that undertook a significant visit to the United Kingdom to initiate the repatriation of ancestral human remains from the Pitt Rivers Museum (PRM) at the University of Oxford has returned home. The week-long visit, described by delegates as a historic and deeply meaningful step, marked the formal beginning of what is termed the “Journey of Repatriation and Healing.”
Comprising elders, community leaders, and representatives from various Naga Tribe Hohos, alongside members of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and Recover, Restore, and Decolonise (RRaD), the delegation engaged in formal meetings, ceremonial observances, and public sessions aimed at reclaiming the remains of Naga ancestors kept in the museum for over a century.
Although the remains were removed from public display in 2020, this visit marked the first direct encounter by a Naga delegation since that time.
Speaking to media upon arrival at Dimapur airport on Sunday, Reverend Dr Ellen Konyak Jamir, coordinator of RRaD and FNR member, described the visit as a momentous occasion for the Naga people. “We just got back after a week of engagements in the UK, and we want to thank God for guiding us through this process,” she said. “It was a very meaningful time, and we are proud of our tribal leaders for representing the different hohos.”
Dr Konyak Jamir expressed particular appreciation for the cooperation extended by the Pitt Rivers Museum. “We especially want to extend our gratitude to the Pitt Rivers Museum (PRM) for the invitation to have this dialogue and collaborate on this repatriation journey. They are a wonderful institution to work with. We thank them for their willingness to engage with us Indigenous communities and repatriate the remains. We also thank them and acknowledge their courage to address difficult past histories and their dedication to this repatriation journey.”
She also acknowledged the support provided by the Art and Culture Department of Nagaland in making the visit possible.
Responding to questions about whether any formal agreement or understanding had been reached during the meetings, Dr Konyak Jamir said, “We just published our Declaration, and that is all there is in the Declaration.”
Asked what the next step for the team would be, she said, “This is a process. We’re just beginning. Of course, as a RRaD team, we have been engaging in this process for the past five years. And over these past five years, we have been going out to communities — different districts, institutions, churches, and organisations.”
Dr Konyak Jamir highlighted the shock many Nagas felt on learning that ancestral remains had been kept as museum specimens and collectibles across the world. “This is something very new for us. The knowledge that our ancestral remains are exhibited in museums across the world, or they are boxed up, housed in museums, and treated as specimens and collectibles — that has been news for us. We have all been very shocked to hear and know about this. And so we have tried our best as a team to go out to our communities and talk about this and share this information.”
She emphasised that this is a community-led initiative, and the team wants to hear from the people. Repatriation, she stressed, is an international process that will require time and continued collaboration. “So far, the Pitt Rivers Museum (PRM) has been very collaborative. And we appreciate the big commitment they have made, and that is the commitment to change museum policy. They have taken down all the human remains on display in the museum, and we are very grateful to the museum for their effort to address this issue,” she added.
During their visit, the Naga delegation participated in formal meetings with museum authorities, performed ceremonial rites honouring the ancestors, and made the Naga Oxford Declaration on Repatriation — a joint statement of intent for healing, unity, and solidarity with Indigenous peoples globally undertaking similar journeys.
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