Dimapur: The Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) has raised alarm over the planned auction of a 19th-century Naga ancestral human skull in the United Kingdom.
The skull, described as a “19th century horned Naga human skull,” is scheduled to be auctioned on October 9, 2024, by Swan Fine Art in Tetsworth, Oxfordshire. It is valued at an estimated £3,500-£4,000 and has been traced back to the Ex Francios Coppens Collection from Belgium.
Condemning the auction, the FNR termed it an “inhumane and violent practice” that perpetuates the colonial exploitation of Indigenous ancestral remains. The skull is part of a larger sale titled “The Curious Collector Sale,” featuring a range of antiquities, including books, manuscripts, paintings, jewelry, ceramics, and furniture.
The FNR has formally appealed to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, urging him to take immediate action to halt the auction. In their letter, the FNR stressed that such auctions continue the policies of “dehumanisation and colonial violence” against the Naga people.
Responding to the appeal, Chief Minister Rio has reached out to India’s Union Minister for External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, requesting swift intervention. In his letter, Rio highlighted the deep cultural and emotional significance of the matter, describing the auction as an act that “deeply hurts the sentiments of the people” and perpetuates colonial injustices.
Rio further acknowledged the FNR’s efforts in promoting peace and reconciliation within Nagaland. He emphasized that the auction contradicts the Naga tradition of respecting and honoring the remains of the deceased, adding that the sale has caused distress among the Naga people.
The timing of the auction coincides with ongoing efforts by the Recover, Restore, and Decolonize Team (RRaD), in partnership with the FNR, to repatriate Naga ancestral remains from the Pitt Rivers Museum at Oxford University. These initiatives underscore the urgency of preventing further desecration and ensuring the proper repatriation of Indigenous human remains.
Expressing his concern, Rio wrote, “The news of the proposed auction of Naga human remains in the UK has been received by all sections in a negative manner as it is a highly emotional and sacred issue for our people, as it has been a traditional custom of our people to give the highest respect and honour for the remains of the demised. You will agree that the human remains of any deceased person belongs to those people and their land,” Rio wrote.
Rio urged the Union Minister to engage with the Indian High Commission in the UK, seeking immediate steps to halt the auction. He added, “This has become a serious issue amongst the citizens of Nagaland and we urge the Government of India to do everything possible to ensure that the rights and emotions of our people are protected.”
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