Naga ancestral remains returning home from England museum

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Updated - November 10, 2026 06:32 pm IST - Dimapur/Kohima

Members of the Naga team that received 39 Naga artefacts, including human remains, from the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford, on November 9. | Photo Credit: AFP

After more than a century in England, 39 Naga ancestral remains are returning home to India. On Monday (November 9, 2026), the University of Oxford transferred the custodianship of 39 Naga artefacts, including human remains, to a team comprising members of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) and the Naga Tribe Hoho, the apex body of all Naga communities.

The formality marked a significant milestone in the Naga community’s efforts to reclaim ancestral remains held in museums abroad.

In a joint statement, the FNR and NTH said the university’s Pitt Rivers Museum hosted the handover ceremony. This concluded an NFR-facilitated repatriation process that began in 2020. Established in 1884, the museum received the Naga artefacts from various collectors.

The statement said Laura Van Broekhoven and Wati Aier signed the transfer document for the museum and FNR, respectively. Visier Sanyü, representing the FNR, and Thejao Vihienuo of the NTH attested the document.

Irene Tracey, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, highlighted the community-led nature of the “historic” repatriation initiative. “This is a journey of reconciliation, healing and peace,” she said.

The Naga team moved the ancestral remains out of the university with a traditional chant, conveying the sentiment attached to ancestral souls’ return to their homeland.

Mr. Vihienuo, also the president of the Angami Public Organisation, described the repatriation as a Naga right to care for their ancestors and an acknowledgement of shared humanity. “All Naga ancestral remains held in museums must be returned to their homeland with dignity,” he said.

Published - November 10, 2026 05:35 pm IST

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