"It has long been the wish of those people who consider themselves to be
connected to Yagan through blood lines, whether directly or indirectly, to
have his head brought home to Western Australia and interred with [the]
rest of his remains, for ceremonial burial with full Aboriginal ritual."
Since Yagan's head was located in 1993, unsuccessful attempts have been made
to get permission from the Home Office to exhume it and to repatriate it.
With the election of a Labour government, it seems more likely that such
attempts might be successful, and Ken is back in Britain at this moment
seeking support for his case. You may have seen articles recently in The
Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, and the Daily Mail discussing the case.
We ask you to write as soon as possible (using email, fax or snailmail) to
the Prime Minister Tony Blair, with a copy to the Home Secretary Jack Straw
(for whom no email address is given - but you could try strawj@parliament.uk
- apparently it has worked for some MPs; and there is a fax number), in
support of Ken Colbung's request to exhume and return the head of his
ancestor to Australia, using the letter appended (or your amended version of
it, if you wish). Please also write to any of the MPs listed, or to any
other MP with whom you have contact, either personal or via MP's surgeries.
Archaeologists should feel able to unite in support of the repatriation of
the head of a named person, which was brought as a trophy to England, to be
buried by his descendant family with the rest of his body and according to
Aboriginal burial rites. Letters from outside the UK are also encouraged.
This is a current, concerted effort to effect a satisfactory outcome to this
unsavoury affair, and we would ask you please to write this week, if
possible.
INTERNATIONAL ACTION ALERT:
STOLEN HEADS, STOLEN CHILDREN, STOLEN LAND
HELP STOP THE RACIST ASSAULT ON AUSTRALIA'S
FIRST PEOPLES!
For more than 200 years, Australian Aborigines have endured
the racist and genocidal policies and practices of the British and
their descendants.
The recent election of the Blair Labour Government in Britain
presents the first real opportunity in decades for Britain to
redress some old wrongs against Australia's First Peoples.
The head of Yagan, a member of the Nyoongar tribe of Western
Australia was severed from his corpse and taken to Britain last
century without the permission of his people. This outrage was
perpetrated on the remains of many Australian aborigines.
Yagan's descendant, Mr. Ken Colbung MBE, OA, JP is currently in
Britain seeking to reclaim the remains of his ancestor.
This is important not only to redress an offence against one
individual but also as a gesture towards healing the damage of
all of the racist and genocidal attacks on Australia's indigenous
peoples since the continent was first settled by Europeans -
including stealing their traditional land and stealing their
children.
[To find out more about the issues of stolen land and stolen
children you can search the archives of the _Sydney Morning
Herald_ online at:
http://www.smh.com.au/daily/
using key words and phrases such as `Wik' and `stolen children'.
Also visit the Action for Aboriginal Rights website:
http://yarra.vicnet.net.au/~aar/ ]
[ Additional information on this subject is available at the NativeNet
Web site: "http://bioc09.uthscsa.edu/natnet/archive/oz-children.html"
-- Gary (gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us) ]
*YOU CAN HELP KEN COLBUNG IN HIS QUEST TO RECLAIM YAGAN'S HEAD*
Write or Fax or email Tony Blair, using the letter below as a
model.
Prime Minister Tony Blair: <TONY.BLAIR@poptel.org.uk>
You may also consider writing to one or two other Labour MPs
about this issue:
Andrew Miller MP <andrew.miller@geo2.poptel.org.uk>
Bernie Grant MP <Bernie.Grant@poptel.org.uk>
Frank Dobson MP <frank.dobsonmp@geo2.poptel.org.uk>
John Battle MP <john_battle_mp@lab-sci.demon.co.uk>
Stephen Timms MP <100746.2456@compuserve.com>
Anne Campbell MP <anne.campbell.mp@solo.pipex.com>
Angela Eagle MP <Angela.Eagle.MP@MCR1.GEONET.DE>
Graham Allen MP <graham.allen@geo2.poptel.org.uk>
Andrew Bennett MP <andrew.bennett@geo2.geonet.de>
Jack Cunningham MP <jack.cunningham@geo2.poptel.org.uk>
Nigel Griffitsh MP <104074.3105@compuserve.com>
Norman Hogg MP <100305.607@compuserve.com>
Geoff Hoon MP <geoffrey.hoon@geo2.poptel.org.uk>
Alan Keen MP <alank@patrol.i-way.co.uk>
Ann Keen MP <akeen@patrol.i-way.co.uk>
Nick Raynsford MP <seabeckj@parliament.uk>
Jeff Rooker MP <jeff.rooker@geo2.poptel.org.uk>
Clare Short MP <shortc@parliament.uk>
Chris Smith MP <chris.smith@geo2.poptel.org.uk>
[source for Labour MPs email addresses:
http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/po/table/brit/email.htm ]
May 1997
The Right Honourable Tony Blair MP
Prime Minister
House of Commons
Westminster,
London SW1A 0AA
United Kingdom
Fax: 0171 277 3300
Dear Mr. Blair,
Please accept my congratulations on your very convincing
electoral victory earlier this month.
It was reported recently that your government has made a decision
to halt the trade in landmines and that all of your country's
stockpiles will be destroyed by the year 2005. This is very good
news! Also very good news is that you have made Human
Rights the centre-piece of your Foreign Policy. Your
government is to be highly commended for both decisions.
You said that your landmines decision `was the right and
civilised thing to do' and I agree, wholeheartedly.
I now ask that you extend the same generosity of spirit to Mr.
Ken Colbung, recipient of the Order of Australia and an Elder
of the Nyoongar People of Western Australia. He is currently
in your country on a mission to retrieve the head of his ancestor,
Yagan, from the graveyard of the Everton Cemetery, Liverpool.
You may or may not be aware that since the colonisation of
Australia in 1788, well over a thousand different remains of
Aboriginal Peoples were stolen and taken to Britain, mainly as
`trophies'. These are the remains of people who were considered
subject to, and protected by the Crown and were considered to be
British subjects - equals to the colonisers. Of course, this begs
the question: How many British remains are treated in this way?
From reports received, the Home Office has refused Mr.
Colbung permission to exhume the head of his ancestor because
the Hospital has buried 20 still-born babies over the head of
Yagan. I realise that this is a delicate situation but where there
is a will, a way will be found. Mr Colbung has vowed not to
leave Britain without the head of his ancestor.
There are many Aboriginal descendant families still waiting to
bury the remains of their ancestors in accord with their cultural
and spiritual beliefs so that their healing can finally begin.
Mr. Blair, I ask you to once again do the right and civilised
thing and help turn the tide of abuse and suffering that
Aboriginal Peoples have endured for over 200 years, and
continue to endure as a result of Australian Government policies
and a renewed wave of virulent racism since the last election
in Australia.
Your government has the enviable chance to lead by example
and to show the world that it is possible to change direction and
not repeat the inhumanities of the past. Please make it your
policy to return the remains of all Aboriginal Peoples held by
British institutions under the pretense of `needed for scientific
study', as well as to encourage private collectors to do the
same.
Please assist Mr. Ken Colbung so that he does not have to return
to his people empty-handed. Give them a rare chance to
celebrate, instead.
The racism now rampant in Australia is a good example of how
a country's leadership affects its capacity for tolerance,
acceptance and respect for each other, regardless of race, colour
or creed. Your leadership, short though it has been, has so far
set a quite different tone and it is your leadership in this matter
which may well help turn the tide of racism in Australia.
I know you will not disappoint us.
Yours sincerely,
CC:
The Home Secretary
Mr Jack Straw
House of Commons
Westminster,
London SW1A 0AA
United Kingdom
Fax + 0171 273 3965
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S.I.S.I.S. Settlers In Support of Indigenous Sovereignty
P.O. Box 8673, Victoria, "B.C." "Canada" V8X 3S2
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