Ancestors' remains brought home

Photo / Mark Mitchell

The remains of 33 Maori were welcomed back to New Zealand yesterday with a ceremony at Te Papa.

They were repatriated from the National Museum of Wales, Gothenburg Natural History Museum and the Museum of World Culture in Sweden, Glasgow University's Hunterian Museum in Scotland, and Trinity College in Ireland.

A Te Papa representative said the remains would be kept at the national museum until it was established which iwi they should be released to. "This is only the first stage of them going back to where they belong."

- NZPA