The Fowler Museum Returns 11 Sacred Cultural Objects To The Larrakia People

In a historic handover event at the Fowler Museum in California, USA, a collection of 11 objects of deep cultural significance were unconditionally returned to the Larrakia Community of the Northern Territory in Australia. 

Larrakia people are known as Saltwater People, their Country includes the modern-day city of Darwin in the Northern Territory. Since 2021, Larrakia Elders have worked closely with AIATSIS and the Fowler Museum to identify and facilitate the return of these culturally significant items, which include 10 glass spearheads and a kangaroo tooth headband once worn by a revered Larrakia Elder.

These traditional Larrakia tools and woven fibre artifacts in today's return ceremony are ceremonial items of deep spiritual and cultural importance and their return marks a significant step toward restoring cultural heritage to its rightful custodians. These items, collected in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, were donated to the museum and have remained outside of their community for generations. 

This marks the second time the Fowler Museum, in partnership with AIATSIS, has completed a cultural heritage return. In July 2024, the Fowler Museum facilitated the repatriation of Warumungu cultural materials.

AIATSIS is Australia's only national cultural institution solely dedicated to the diverse history, cultures, and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia. AIATSIS' Return of Cultural Heritage Program facilitates the safe return of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage material held in overseas collections.  

Key attendees at the repatriation ceremony included Larrakia Custodians Tina Baum and Darryn Wilson; Silvia Forni, the Shirley & Ralph Shapiro Director of the Fowler Museum; Lionel Popkin, Allison Fisher-Olson, The Fowler Museum's Repatriations Coordinator and Curator of Native American Cultures, Tanya Bennett, Australian Consul-General, Los Angeles and Dylan Daniel-Marsh, A/g Executive Director Partnerships and Engagement Group, AIATSIS.

The Fowler Museum is a renowned museum dedicated to global arts and cultures with an emphasis on Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and the Indigenous Americas. The return of these Larrakia cultural materials is part of the Fowler Museum's broader commitment to ethical stewardship and responsible curation, reinforcing the vital role of repatriation in strengthening community identity, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and healing from historical injustices.

Mark Motlop, Larrakia Elder, said of the exchange, "Today is an important milestone for the revitalisation and maintenance of Larrakia culture, now and for future generations, as we accept these culturally significant artefacts back to the rightful custodianship of Larrakia people. It has been a long and emotional journey for Larrakia people in the repatriation of these items back to Larrakia Country and one that will facilitate healing and the intergenerational transfer of knowledge. Once back in Larrakia Country, in Darwin Australia, these items will be displayed at Larrakia Cultural Centre, opening in mid-2026."

Silvia Forni, Shirley & Ralph Shapiro Director, Fowler Museum added, “Museums play a vital role in acknowledging past wrongs and fostering meaningful cultural exchange. The return of these objects reinforces our dedication to ethical stewardship and deepens our partnerships with Indigenous communities. This repatriation is part of a growing global movement to return cultural heritage to its rightful custodians, ensuring that these materials can once again contribute to the cultural and spiritual practices of their communities.”

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