In the 1700s, sea voyages led to great discoveries. British navigator James Cook was also one of the names known for his discoveries, especially in the Pacific Ocean. In fact, this captain went to Australia in 1770 and came into contact with the aborigines living in that region. The captain of the ship, whose main purpose at that time was to map the east coast of Australia, stole about 40 spears from the Aborigines and took them to England.
Now, there has been a remarkable development regarding those spears. Trinity College, which is among the colleges of Cambridge University, has announced that the 4 spears that have been kept so far will be given to the aborigines again. So why did Cambridge University feel the need to make such a decision years later?
The Aborigines have demanded the return of the spears for years!
*Photo of an aboriginal community.
Aborigines who crossed from Southeast Asia to Australia are known as the natives of the Australian Continent. Aborigines, who have kept their unique culture alive for centuries, still continue their existence today. Aborigines, who continue to live in different communities even though their population has decreased, have adopted a nomadic lifestyle. These people generally met their food needs by hunting, which is why they made spears. The spears that Cambridge University decided to return were also materials produced by the Derevaller community for hunting in those years.
The La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council had been fighting for the return of these spears for years. In this context; The last application was made in December 2022. Cambridge University finally accepted the request and will return the spears to their rightful owners. Ray Ingrey, President of the Gujaga Foundation, said: “This is part of the dream time story about how our people came to be. So they are not only over 253 years old and give us a glimpse into our history, they bring us closer to that spiritual connection and that makes them so important.
Here are those spears that will be returned to the aborigines:
Noeleen Timbery, President of the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council, also spoke on the subject. Stating that these spears have an important connection with their past, traditions, culture and ancestors, Timbery stated that the ancestors of most of the aborigines living in the same region today were the people who made the stolen spears in the 1770s.
It is currently unknown when and how the spears in England will be returned to their owners, and what kind of procedure will be followed.
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