Oxford University transfers custodianship of 39 Naga ancestral remains to Naga people

The Oxford University Council in the UK officially transferred the custodianship of 39 Naga ancestral remains formerly held at the Pitt Rivers Museum (PRM) to the Naga people through the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and the Naga tribal bodies.Once the ancestral remains are brought back to Nagaland, they will be taken to the final resting place at Naga Solidarity Park in capital Kohima for burial. (HT Sourced Photo)“The Naga remains which had been under the custodianship of the Pitt Rivers Museum for over a century have now been formally returned to the care of the Naga communities in a solemn handover ceremony hosted by the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford on November 9, 2026,” the FNR said in a statement.Since the Pitt Rivers Museum was established in 1884, collectors have donated Naga artifacts including Naga ancestral human remains to the museum, an update from the FNR said on Monday.The Naga repatriation ceremony where the remains were handed over was the culmination of a process that began in 2020 with the FNR as the facilitator.The Transfer of Title Form was jointly signed by Professor Laura Van Broekhoven on behalf of the Pitt Rivers Museum, and Rev. Dr. Wati Aier on behalf of the FNR, the update said.The document was also attested by Visier Sanyü on behalf of the FNR, and Thejao Vihienuo as a representative of the Naga tribes. Following the handover, the ancestral remains were moved out from the University of Oxford to begin their journey home.The update also said the handover ceremony was led with a tribal chant by Nyamto Wangsha who expressed the idea that when the soul returns, the village heals.Vice chancellor of the University of Oxford, Professor Irene Tracey who recognised the event as “historic between the university and the Naga people”, emphasised the Naga repatriation journey as a distinct community-led initiative of reconciliation, healing, and peace.Speeches were also made by the representative of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, Professor Visier Sanyü, who shared a personal testimony where he recounted the burning down of his village by the colonial British force. He explained how the power of forgiveness forged and nourished new friendships with those who caused harm. He quoted the late Naga peace activist, Niketu Iralu, who remarked that “hate not transformed is transferred”, and applied this principle to his work on peace and reconciliation.President of the Angami Public Organisation, Thejao Vihienuo, who spoke on behalf of the Naga tribes stressed that repatriation is a Naga right to take care of their ancestors and an acknowledgement of their common humanity. He pointed out that all Naga ancestral remains kept in museums must return to the homeland with dignity.The coordinator of the Recover, Restore, and Decolonise (RRaD) team, Rev. Dr Ellen Konyak, spoke about how the repatriation is not the end but a new beginning for the Nagas to create their own story.“The gathering recognised the repatriation as the beginning of a journey to address difficult colonial histories and embrace the renewal and visions of a shared humanity,” the FNR statement read.Once the ancestral remains are brought back to Nagaland, they will be taken to the final resting place at Naga Solidarity Park in capital Kohima for burial. The team from FNR and Naga tribe bodies are expected to return later this week.