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Domestic repatriationTe whakahoki tūpuna ki ngā uri

Returning Māori and Moriori ancestral remains to iwi Māori and imi Moriori across Aotearoa New Zealand and Rēkohu Chatham Islands.

Te Papa has supported the repatriation of Māori and Moriori ancestral remains to iwi and imi throughout Aotearoa and Rēkohu Chatham Islands.

All arrangements for domestic repatriations are led by iwi Māori and imi Moriori, with support from Te Papa. They determine the place, time, and details for the repatriation and burial or funerary rites. Iwi Māori and imi Moriori choose to either collect their ancestors’ remains from Te Papa or have them escorted home.

Find out more about seeking the domestic return of kōiwi tangata and kōimi tchakat from Te Papa.

Karanga Aoteaora is guided by its Kōiwi Tangata Policy when it returns kōiwi tangata, kōimi tangata/kōimi tchakat and Toi moko to their whānau, hapū, iwi or rohe/takiwā.

A copy of the programme’s present KōiwiTangata Policy is attached to this webpage for your information.

Importantly, we engage in conversations with the respective iwi authority. Where there are multiple iwi involved, we seek clarity from all representative groups. Importantly, previous findings and recommendations by the Waitangi Tribunal may be of guidance in seeking clarity.

The process of return may include the following elements:

  1. Provision of Kōiwi Tangata Provenance Report(
  2. Whānau, hapū, iwi and rohe Wānanga
  3. Formal Request of Return
  4. Tikanga or Tikane Wānanga
  5. Return from Te Papa
  6. Provision of Funding.

Domestic repatriations to date

Te Papa and our dedicated Karanga Aotearoa Repatriation Programme have returned kōiwi tangata to the following regions and iwi.

2024Te Uri o hau – Kaipara HarbourKōiwi Tangata Report: Te Uri o Hau, Te Tai Tokerau
2023Ngāi Tahu (Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga)Kōiwi Tangata Report: Ngāi Tahu (Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga)
2023Te Ātiawa – Te Whanganui a Tara – Te Whānau a Ngapaki Te Puni (plaster cast)Te Whanganui a Tara – Te Whānau a Ngapaki Te Puni (plaster cast) (940KB)
2023Te Ātiawa – Te Whanganui a Tara – Te Whānau a Oriwia Ātiraukawa (plaster cast)Te Whanganui a Tara – Te Whānau a Oriwia Ātiraukawa (plaster cast) (875KB)
2023Ngāti Toa Rangatira – Te Whānau a Wineera Te Kanae (plaster cast)Te Whānau a Wineera Te Kanae (plaster cast) (849KB)
2023Ngāti Whakaue –  Te Whānau a Taupua Te Whanoa (plaster cast)Te Whānau a Taupua Te Whanoa (plaster cast) (1.1MB)

2019

Ngāti Kahungunu (Wairoa Taiwhenua)

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Te Taiwhenua o Wairoa – Kōiwi tangata provenanced to Wairoa (29.5MB)

2016

Whanganui

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Kōiwi tangata provenanced to Whanganui Rohe (25.2 MB)

2013

Waimārama, Hawke’s Bay

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Te Taiwhenua o Waimarāma Kōiwi tangata provenanced to Waimarāma (19.46 MB)

2012

Ngāti Tūwharetoa

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Kōiwi Tangata provenanced Te Rohe o Te Moana o Taupō nui a Tia (4.84 MB)

 

Oparau, Kawhia

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Kōiwi Tangata provenanced to Oparau, Kawhia (3.57 MB)

 

Ngāti Kere, Porangahau

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Te Taiwhenua o Porangahau Kōiwi tangata provenanced to Porangahau (4.25 MB)

2010

Waiuku

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Waiuku (2.32 MB)

2009

Waikaremoana

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Kōiwi Tangata Waikaremoana (388KB)

 

Rangitāne o Wairau

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Wairau (276.63 KB)

 

Tauranga Moana

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Tauranga Moana (283.6 KB)

 

Rotorua

Kōiwi Tangata Report: Rotorua (1.42 MB)

2008

Ngāti Apa

 

2007

Ngāti Maniapoto

 

2005

Rangitāne o Wairau

 

 

Moeraki

 

2004

Muaūpoko

 

 

Ngāti Kuri

 

 

Whanganui

 

2001

South Island

 

2000

South Island

 

1999

Tairāwhiti

 

 

South Island

 

 

Rongowhakaata

 

1998

South Island

 

1996

Ngāi Tai

 

1958

Hawke’s Bay via Napier Museum

 

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