Repatriation, Reconciliation and the Inversion of Patriarchy

Abstract

During the 1940s and 1950s kōiwi tāngata (human remains) were excavated at the Wairau Bar and taken to the Canterbury Museum. The excavations provided the scientific community with an abundance of data about the Polynesian settlement of New Zealand. For the Rangitāne community of the Wairau the excavations have been a cause of distress. At the time of the excavations, tribal elder Peter MacDonald protested the removal of the kōiwi tāngata. Although his protests were unsuccessful, his legacy of protest was passed to subsequent generations. This article examines the history of the Wairau Bar and the excavations from a Rangitāne perspective, contextualising the tribe’s experiences within a longer history of European colonisation. The article discusses the negotiations between various institutions and Rangitāne, which led to the repatriation of kōiwi tāngata in 2009. A condition of repatriation was that the kōiwi tāngata undergo scientific analysis, including mtDNA sequencing. Despite having some reservations initially, the research has had positive but unexpected outcomes for Rangitāne. The article suggests that mtDNA sequencing, with its focus on maternal descent, has led to a growing interest in female ancestors generally.