PIMA media release

5 May 2006

Statement from the Chair of the Executive Board of the Pacific Islands Museums Association, Ms Faustina K. Rehuher (Director Belau National Museum) on the occasion of the Repatriation of Tongan Ancestral Remains  from the Bishop Museum, Hawaii to Tonga. 

The Bishop Museum, Hawai’i

“On behalf of my fellow Board Members, may I say how pleased the Pacific Islands Museums Association (PIMA) was to hear about this repatriation project between the Bishop Museum and the Tonga National Museum.

I understand that today’s ceremony concerns the return of the remains of 21 Tongan people, collected during the 1920s by W. McKern and in 1931 by MacGregor. The return of these ancestral remains in an act of mutual cooperation between your museums, demonstrates the dignity and respect with which people of the Pacific all honor our forebears.

In February this year, PIMA completed writing a Code of Ethics for Pacific Islands Museums and Cultural Centres. One of the ‘Guiding Principles’ of this document is that our members ‘support the reconnection of ex-situ natural and cultural resources located domestically or internationally with their originator or creator communities.’ 

PIMA supports the reconnection of ex-situ natural and cultural resources located domestically or internationally with their originator or creator communities

This project, between two current member museums of PIMA - upholds that Principle. The repatriation also demonstrates global best practice as promoted in the International Council of Museums Code of Ethics which openly states that museums have a duty to exercise respect for the feelings of human dignity held by all peoples, and ‘be prepared to initiate dialogues for the return of cultural property to a county or people of origin.’

The dialogue opened between the museums of Hawaii and Tonga promotes mutual respect and understanding and is greatly encouraging. It shows the way for other museums in the region to initiate sensitive discussions with fellow Pacific museums, but also larger international museums about the return of ancestral remains and cultural property.

As you are all aware, many Pacific natural and cultural treasures lie in the vaults of international museums. The challenge lies ahead for Pacific peoples to gain access to their cultural and natural property held overseas, however if we can show international museums that here in the Pacific repatriation can and is being done, then we are leading by example.  PIMA hopes that other museums in the region will follow your lead.

We wish for you a safe and blessed homecoming of the ancestral remains and once again praise your initiative.”