- DIMAPUR — A
delegation of Naga tribal hohos was hosted at the House of Lords in London on
June 11, as part of an ongoing initiative to repatriate ancestral human remains
held in the United Kingdom.
- The delegation met with Rt Hon. the Lord Boateng of Akyem
and Wembley, a member of the British House of Lords, who expressed solidarity
with Indigenous communities seeking the repatriation of ancestral human
remains.
Naga leaders and elders with Lord Boateng at the House of
Lords, London on June 11.
- According to a press release issued on Friday, the visit
comes in the wake of global outrage in October 2024 over a proposed sale of
human remains—including those of Naga origin—by an Oxfordshire auction house.
Lord Boateng, along with Baroness Black of Strome, was instrumental in
initiating a parliamentary debate in response to the auction and helped prevent
the sale and display of human body parts.
- “No human remains should be treated as possessions,
curiosity, or for profit. It is morally wrong and offensive,” Lord Boateng told
the Naga delegation during their meeting.
- The Naga leaders are currently in the UK to work with the
Pitt Rivers Museum on repatriating ancestral remains held in its collections.
During the meeting, they expressed gratitude to Lord Boateng for his continued
advocacy for legislative changes that address the historical and ethical issues
surrounding the dehumanising sale of human remains.
Also read: Naga delegation visits Pitt Rivers Museum to discuss repatriation of ancestral remains
