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Fight for Aboriginal ancestors goes on

By Karen McVeigh

Indigenous delegation london february 2007

24 February 2007 -The Natural History museum is set to spend another £100,000 fighting its legal battle over the bones of Australian Aborigines whose descendants accuse the museum of "scientific racism" for wanting to take DNA samples.

Australian leaders believe such "mutilation" of the bones of this Tasmanian group violates the spirits of the dead and living, and that until the bones are properly buried their souls will be in torment. A high court case to stop the tests has been deferred until 7 March.

The museum, which has held some of the 17 skeletons since the 1800s, says DNA needs to be removed as the collection is irreplacable to science. It agreed to later repatriation of the remains .
Bob Weatherall, chair of the Centre for Indigenous Cultural Policy in Australia, said: "They only see our ancestors as tools of the trade."

About 8,000 Aboriginals were in Tasmania when the British settled on the Island in 1803 but by 1850 only 47 were left. Thousands were massacred and their graves were robbed.

Source: The Guardian

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