DIMAPUR, June 14: Naga elders and leaders from various “Naga tribal hohos” from Northeast India were invited to the House of Lords in London, a press release from the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) said recently. They met with the Rt Hon the Lord Boateng of Akyem and Wembley, Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom who expressed his solidarity and support for all Indigenous communities including the Naga people working to repatriate the physical remains of their respective ancestors, the press release also said. This is following the global outrage in October 2024 regarding the proposed sale of human remains by an Oxfordshire Auction House. These human remains were all from the global South and included Naga ancestral human remains in the UK. Lord Boateng was one of the key figures, alongside Baroness Black of Strome, in calling for a parliamentary debate in the House of Lords for preventing the sale and display of human body parts. Their intervention, alongside the voices of many Indigenous community members, was instrumental in preventing the sale, the press statement added.
The Naga delegation has come to the UK to work with the Pitt Rivers Museum on the repatriation of the Naga human remains the museum holds in its collections. During the meeting with Lord Boateng the Naga team thanked him for his commitment in advocating for legislative change around the dehumanising sale of human remains, the press release also said.
While talking to the Naga delegation, Lord Boateng reflected on his Ghanaian roots and said that India and Ghana experienced oppression under British colonial rule, and each fought for their independence, the press release stated. This arc of independence for India and Ghana became the foundations of freedom and justice. Parliament was the site, on the one hand, where Indigenous lands were taken. On the other hand, Parliament was also the site where acts of independence were signed. He reiterated that there is freedom now in most former colonies, but they are yet to experience justice, the statement also said.
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Focusing on the ongoing process of repatriation of Naga ancestral human remains, Lord Boateng presented the official report on the Parliamentary debates held at the House of Lords. The debates focused on the sale and display of human body parts in the United Kingdom and how to find a legal resolution to criminalise any ongoing practice of displaying the remains. “No human remains should be treated as possessions, curiosity, or for profit. It is morally wrong and offensive,” said Lord Boateng during his interaction with the Naga tribal leaders and elders. Lord Boateng added, “I salute your struggles to give voice to all Indigenous Peoples because this process represents the Indigenous peoples of the world. We are one people and all of us are deserving of respect.”
On behalf of the Naga leaders and elders, Thejao Vihienuo, president of the Angami Public Organisation, thanked Lord Boateng for the invitation. He emphasized that the Naga delegation was in the United Kingdom to redress the history of colonialism through which the ancestors’ remains were taken. Each of the tribal leaders expressed their appreciation to Lord Baoteng for his welcome and they spoke about the urgency of the repatriation of their ancestral remains to the Naga homeland. Ngongba Tange Thamlong Phom, vice president of the Phom Peoples’ Organization said, “There are many ancestors belonging to our people, and the spirits will not find rest and peace until we bring them home”. Rev. Aching Peihwang Wangsa, Konyak Union representative, talked about the importance of coming to the UK and witnessing their ancestors who were taken away many decades ago. Dr. Ngullie, an elder from the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), said, “We have been called to this place by our ancestors who were cared for by the Pitt Rivers Museum”. He emphasised the importance of spiritual connections amongst different peoples, which is strongly based on the Indigenous beliefs of the Nagas. “We are here”, he said, “to reconcile and bring healing not only to the Naga lands, but to humanity”, the press release further added. (NNN)
