Two ancestor skulls have been returned to the people of Rapa Nui after being held in Canterbury and Otago Museums for nearly 70 years. Te Kāea was at Maahunui Marae in Christchurch for the ceremonial repatriation.
"This is a right that has to be respected for any kind of institution or any kind of person," says Mario Tuki of Rapa Nui.
One of the skulls was traded in 1933, the other in 1948, and this week a delegation from Rapa Nui travelled across the Pacific Ocean to retrieve the two ancestor skulls.
"It was there (Rapa Nui) that this man or woman have lived their life, left their descendants, fed their passion, built their monuments, and has been buried there. There is a family, a mourning family, crying for the return of their tīpuna (ancestors)."
The Rapa Nui Repatriation Program requested the return of one skull from Canterbury Museum in 2014, and when the news reached Otago they took stock and found that they also had an ancestor skull from Rapa Nui. Māori Co-Leader at Te Papa Tongarewa, Dr Arapata Hakiwai, says they are pleased to support this request.
"These Rapa Nui have been away from their land for a long time so today they are going back and that's delightful."
However, he points out there are hundreds of bones and cultural heirlooms within NZ Museums yet be repatriated.
"A plan has been initiated by Te Papa Tongarewa, we've spoken to the office of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage and they've agreed that the ancestors within New Zealand Museums be returned to their regions."
Mario Tuki says the indigenous delegation was grateful for the Māori protocols which eased the process and would hold a special ceremony once they return to Rapa Nui.
"Our responsibility as a programme is not only find them and bring them back home, it's also to socialise this process in our own communities."
Lynn Rapu Tuki of Rapa Nui says, "There is much joy, much thanks and love to the Māori who supported us coming here to retrieve the bones of our ancestors and take them back to Rapa Nui."
The first repatriation for Rapa Nui, Tuki says they will continue to recover other tipuna and taonga from around the Pacific and worldwide.