Aboriginal community to mark return of priceless petroglyphs

Tasmania’s Aboriginal community hopes the hand back of ancient artefacts to premangana is the start of process that will see legislation changed so Aboriginal people become the true custodians of their own history.

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SIXTY years ago, ancient Tasmanian Aboriginal petroglyphs were cut out of a rock bed near Marrawah, thrown on the back of a flatbed truck and roughly transported from the State’s far north west to be displayed at museums in Hobart and Launceston.

Pieces of the priceless rock carving – which records thousands of years of Aboriginal history – broke off as the truck rumbled along.

The petroglyphs depict major events like the sighting of Halley’s comet, the death of great Aboriginal warriors and show where village communities were and the tracks that carried people between them.

Now, after an almost 40-year-old fight, Tasmania’s Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Roger Jaensch has signed the permits needed for the petroglyphs to be taken home.

Tasmania’s Aboriginal community is celebrating and hoping the move is a catalyst for broader change to legislation.

Michael Mansell from the Tasmania Aboriginal Centre. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“A group of Aboriginal people in Hobart, part of the then Tasmanian Aboriginal Land Council, tried their heart out to get the petroglyphs returned but hit a brick wall,” Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania chairman Michael Mansell said.

“But there has been a cultural shift and both the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery have been very supportive of the hand back.”

Mr Mansell says it is now time to change the Aboriginal Heritage Act.
“This – the history of the taking of the rock carvings and their hard-fought return – is a practical examination of the absurdity of current legislation under which Aboriginal artefacts are so easily taken but the arduous process involved in getting that history back,” Mr Mansell said.

“The current Act still leaves Aboriginal history and heritage the property of the crown.” he said.

“The return of the petroglyphs is a good opportunity to have a broader discussion and make Aboriginal people the true custodians of their history.”

Tasmanian Aboriginal petroglyphs being cut from a cliff face at Preminghana in 1950. Picture: SUPPLIED

Mr Jaensch said it was now nationally accepted that materials recognised as spiritually and culturally important, or acquired in an unethical way, should be returned to their rightful owners unconditionally.

“On this basis, arrangements for the physical return of the petroglyphs to their final resting place will be made through agreements between TMAG and QVMAG and the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania, as the titleholder of the premingana site on behalf of all Aboriginal people in Tasmania,” Mr Jaesnch said.

“The Tasmanian Government stands ready to support them, as needed, to ensure the petroglyphs are safely returned, protected and managed for the benefit of all Aboriginal Tasmanians.”

The Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania will meet with the Aboriginal community in Hobart next month to discuss the historic hand back.

“If we get a community mandate we will be able to sign off on the museum involving the logistics of getting the artefacts back to premingana.

“I can see no reason why the petroglyphs would not be returned by February next year We need to find out which bits they have and get advice on have to safely transport them back to where they belong.”