Naga delegation heads to Oxford as FGN questions repatriation process

DIMAPUR — A Naga delegation led by tribal hoho leaders has left for Oxford in the United Kingdom to formalise the return of 39 Naga ancestral human remains held at the Pitt Rivers Museum—a process now facing questions over who has the authority to represent the Naga people in securing their return.

The delegation's departure on Friday came a day after the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) called on the University of Oxford to suspend the proposed handover and review the repatriation process.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), which has facilitated the six-year-long effort, said the University of Oxford Council had officially decided to return the remains to the Naga people. It stated that the process was being decisively led by tribal hohos, whose representatives had travelled to the UK to complete the formalities with the museum.

According to the FNR, the return would be followed by a public homecoming, with arrangements to be announced after the official procedures were completed.

The forum described the return as a matter of historical, cultural and human significance, stating that the remains had been kept away from their homeland, people, culture and ancestral lands for generations.

It maintained that the homecoming would provide an opportunity for historical reflection, healing and reconciliation, while allowing younger generations to reconnect with their ancestors and reaffirm their responsibility to preserve Naga history and cultural heritage.

The FGN's November 5 statement, however, challenged the process behind the proposed return and questioned the basis on which the claim had been made. It urged Oxford to put the handover on hold.

Read more: Who speaks for the dead? FGN challenges Oxford's Naga remains decision