ANU, Museum of Riverina to host symposium at CSU Wagga

The symposium titled 'RETURN: Reconnecting objects and collections with people and places' will be held at the Charles Sturt University's Riverina Playhouse in Wagga.

The Symposium, a meeting of discussion, will look at three case studies of the return of objects to Hobart, La Perouse and Wagga.

Among the artefacts in focus are those that were brought home to the Riverina last year which were collected in the 1860s from a Ganmain Station and held at the Museum of Australia for several years.

Regional Museum Officer Sam Leah said hosting the symposium in Wagga is a great opportunity for the community to engage in conversations around the importance of returning artefacts from major centres.

"This symposium is a wonderful opportunity to look at the work that has been done to date, and to think about how we might continue this work in the future," she said.

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ANU Research Fellow and the event's convenor Dr Robyn McKenzie said with calls growing for the return of objects and collections to their traditional owners, this symposium is particularly timely.

"The return of cultural heritage is a topical issue with world-wide currency," Dr Robyn McKenzie said.

"This discussion is local and targeted.

"It will focus on projects to return objects, knowledge and decision-making to local communities and groups and what the future looks like in this area."

Wiradjuri Elder Uncle James Ingram said the symposium is the next piece of an unsolved puzzle.

"There was always something I felt was left undone in bringing the collection home," he said.

"We hope to have our own museum and keeping place at some stage.

"There are many Wirradjuri artefacts still out there and if it were up to me we would have them all back."

Museum of the Riverina's Samantha Leah said one of the things they will be talking about in the symposium is about what could they could do next as a cultural facility to continue the conversation and grow and evolve.

There will be a broad range of speakers, including First Nations Elders, university-based researchers and museum professionals involved in these projects.

There will also be an evening lecture conducted by professor Gaye Sculthorpe from Deakin University and former Head of Oceania at the British Museum, on tracking objects in European museums.

A combination of online workshops will focus on the future of returning objects and collections to people and place.

Hosted by the Australian National University in collaboration with the Museum of the Riverina, the event is free to attend.

The symposium will run from Tuesday, June 27, to Thursday, June 29.

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