A lang-held chapter o a dark past nears its close as a mort-heid, held in Aiberdeen syne da mid-1800s, will suin return tae Tasmania. Da remains come fae a young lad taen fae his land lang syne. On 21 Mairch, a ceremony will be held tae lay da remains tae rest in a traditional ceremony led by Aboriginal fowk.

In 2019, da University o Aiberdeen raxed oot tae da Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre aboot da repatriation. Dis led tae a proposal tae return da remains. In 2020, da University’s rulin body gied its fu approval. Noo da Centre is set tae tak da remains back tae Tasmania.

Da mort-heid is pairt o a trove o items aince awned by William MacGillivray, a professor at Marischal College. Efter he deed in 1852, da University bocht his collection. A sale leet described da item as “Native o Van Diemen’s Land, wha wis shot on da Shannon River.” Nae record is held on hoo da heid wis taen. Da Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre claims, “dere can be nae doot dat dis heid wis removed fae da lad shot at da Shannon River in order tae service (da) trade in Aboriginal body pairts. Da decapitation wis maist likely performed by ane o da killers, stock-keepers, property ainers or lessees involved in or associated wi da man’s murder.” Officials believe dis act micht hae haed its ruits in da 1820s or 1830s. Da young lad belangt tae da ‘Big River’ tribe—a fowk entirely wiped oot wi nae direct kin left.

Efter its purchase by da University, da heid becam pairt o da Comparative Anatomy collection. In da early 2000s, it wis muivit tae da Human Culture collection. It wis aince uised in medical lessons in da 19t an early 20t centuries. The-day, nae lairnin or study centres on dis item.

Andry Sculthorpe o da Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre said, “Aboriginal fowk feel da enormous responsibility o restorin tae wir ain kintra baith da physical remains, an throu dem, da spirits o wir ancestral deid. Dis is a record o racist attitudes tae da study o humanity, includin human remains acquired by grave robbin an ither immoral activity; in dis case, murder. We applaud da institutions dat hae da courage tae lowse haad o der perceptions o intellectual supremacy, embrace der ain humanity an dae whit is richt by da fowk wha are maist impacted by da atrocities dey hae inflicted in da past. Dis young man’s murder will nae be forgotten an we will bring him hame tae rest at last.”

Neil Curtis, Heid o University Collections at da University o Aiberdeen, said, “Gien da violence an racism dat led tae der acquisition, it wad be unacceptable for dese ancestral remains tae be uised for research, lairnin or exhibitions purposes. We are pleased dat da remains o dis young lad can noo be haunded ower tae da Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre for appropriate burial in his hame land.”

Da University o Aiberdeen follaes a set peth whan it comes tae returnin ancestral remains. It walcomes proposals tae return ancestral relics an sacred items tae da communities fae whit dey wur taen. A review o its collections is unnerwey tae merk items dat wur looted or unethically acquired. Dis effort comes on da heels o da return o a Benin Bronze in 2021, the first sic move in da warld by a museum.

At last, staps are bein taen tae mend a lang-syne wrang an bring a lost saul hame.