Ashleigh Wilson; 30/6/09
For years it remained in storage in an American museum, with no documentation and few clues about its meaning. Then experts realised the significance of the object: a carved piece of stone, less than 1m in length, used for Aboriginal ceremonies in central Australia, and not to be seen by women, children or uninitiated men. It was a sacred object and out of place in the US. The Seattle Art Museum, which acquired the object in 1971, yesterday handed it over to the National Museum of Australia in the first stage of its eventual return to its true custodians. The NMA will temporarily store the object until its final repatriation. The museum will liase with communities in central Australia, along with representative bodies such as the Central Land Council, to determine where the object belongs before returning it to the appropriate community.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25708005-16947,00.html
Tags: Aboriginal, Australia, Religion, USA