Debate contribution: Decolonisation of Museum Collections and Repatriation of Artefacts
Debate contribution by Mr Maolíosa McHugh on .
- MLA
- Mr Maolíosa McHugh
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 20 May 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Decolonisation of Museum Collections and Repatriation of Artefacts
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4963858
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I beg to move
Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.
The motion advocates the decolonisation of museum collections and the repatriation of artefacts. That initiative is not merely about returning objects; it is about restoring dignity, acknowledging historical injustices and fostering genuine reconciliation with communities whose heritage has been displaced. National Museums NI has, commendably, taken steps in that direction. In 2022, the Ulster Museum launched the Inclusive Global Histories exhibition, marking a significant move towards decolonising its collections. That exhibition critically examines the provenance of artefacts, many of which were acquired during colonial times, and seeks to present them in their rightful cultural context. By doing so, NMNI is not only educating the public but challenging long-standing narratives that have marginalised indigenous voices. A poignant example of NMNI's commitment is the repatriation of ancestral Hawaiian human remains and sacred objects. Those items, removed in the 19th century, were returned to native Hawaiian representatives in a ceremony that underscored the importance of cultural respect and healing. As Carmen Hulu Lindsey of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs aptly stated, that act was "much needed and long overdue". Beidh cluasáin de dhíth anois.
Is amhlaidh a bhí sampla againn ar thaisí á gcur ar ais chun a ndúiche féin anseo in Éirinn ar na mallaibh. Tógadh trí cloigne déag ó Inis Bó Finne sa bhliain 1890 gur coinníodh i gColáiste na Tríonóide i mBaile Átha Cliath iad. Tógadh na cloigne gan cead a fháil ó mhuintir na háite san am sin. Rinneadh dianstocaireacht agus chuir muintir Inis Bó Finne a n-ainm le hachainí sa chruth gur cuireadh na taisí ar ais chun an oileáin, áit ar cuireadh i gcré na cille iad. Ghabh Coláiste na Tríonóide a leithscéal as an bhuairt mhór a cuireadh ar mhuintir an oileáin toisc na taisí sin a thógáil, tá 133 bliana ó shin. Anuas air sin, tá Meitheal Athbhreithnithe ar Oidreachtaí Choláiste na Tríonóide, tá sin ag déanamh athbhreithiú ar an bhaint a bhí ag an Choláiste leis an sclábhaíocht agus le hImpireacht na Breataine.
Decolonising museum collections is not just an ethical imperative; it enriches our understanding of history by incorporating diverse perspectives and challenges all to confront uncomfortable truths and engage in meaningful dialogue with communities worldwide. By supporting the motion, we affirm our commitment to justice, inclusivity and the transformative power of acknowledging and rectifying past wrongs. Let us therefore endorse the motion wholeheartedly and set a precedent for museums everywhere to follow in the pursuit of equity and historical integrity.
419 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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