The South Australian Museum has repatriated 19 treasured objects dating from the 1800s back to the Larrakia people in the Northern Territory.
Larrakia Country is the lands and waters in and surrounding Darwin, including Darwin harbour.
The objects, which include spears and spear throwers, clubs, a woven bag, a message object and personal ornaments, are destined for the brand new Larrakia Cultural Centre (pictured above) being built on the Darwin foreshore and due to open in mid 2026.
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The restitution from the South Australian Museum is part of the Larrakia Development Corporation’s broader effort to reclaim their cultural material from institutions all over the world.
Mark Motlop, Chairperson of the Larrakia Development Corporation and Larrakia man explains, “Today is an extremely important milestone for the revitalisation and maintenance of Larrakia culture, now and for future generations, as we accept these culturally significant artefacts from the South Australian Museum back to the rightful custodianship of Larrakia people.
“It has been a long and emotional journey for Larrakia people in the repatriation of these items to Larrakia Country - one that will facilitate healing and the intergenerational transfer of knowledge.
“Once returned to their rightful place on Larrakia Country, in Darwin, Australia, these items will be displayed at the Larrakia Cultural Centre, opening in 2026 ensuring their stories are honoured and shared with the world for many years to come.”
The South Australian Museum has the largest Larrakia collection in Australia, reflecting the historical period of South Australia’s governance over the Northern Territory.
The repatriation follows a request from the Larrakia Development Corporation to the South Australian Museum with support from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), the Larrakia Cultural Centre Working Group and the wider Larrakia community.
The request expressed aspirations to reincorporate the objects into contemporary cultural lives by way of ceremonial practice, intergenerational cultural knowledge transfer and exhibition displays at the new Larrakia Cultural Centre.
The items – many extremely fragile – have been prepared for transport in specially equipped packaging by ArtLab Australia, which shares the North Terrace Cultural Precinct with the South Australian Museum.
South Australian Museum Aboriginal Heritage and Repatriation Manager Anna Russo said the repatriation reflects the Museum’s commitments of self-determination and recognition of cultural authority.
“The repatriated objects will be amongst the first to be exhibited at the new Larrakia Cultural Centre; a purpose-built centre created by Larrakia for Larrakia People,” Anna said.
“People from all over the world will also have an opportunity to immerse themselves in Larrakia culture in ways that are guided by the Larrakia themselves and these objects will support that.”
Provenance research confirms that the items were collected by either Paul Foelsche or Thomas Anstey Parkhouse - both of whom lived and worked in the Darwin region in the late 19th century.
Paul Foelsche was the Northern Territory’s first police inspector, appointed to the role in late 1869. He became an early source of information on the Aboriginal peoples of the Northern Territory for the South Australian Museum and collected more than 300 Aboriginal cultural items, including 284 registered in the Museum.
The spears were collected by Thomas Anstey Parkhouse during the 1880s and donated to the museum by his daughter, Mary Parkhouse in 1952.
T.A. Parkhouse was an anthropologist and linguist who worked with SA Railways and was appointed accountant and paymaster at Port Darwin.
Dozens of items have already been returned to the Larrakia from institutions around world, most recently from the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery in the UK which last week (2 September) repatriated 33 items from its collection.
Other institutions include the Fowler Museum, Los Angeles, United States.
More information on the South Australian’s Museum’s Aboriginal heritage and repatriation efforts can be found on our website.
