University of Aberdeen to Repatriate Skull of Tasmanian Aboriginal Man for Burial

The remains of a Big River tribe member, acquired during colonial-era violence, will be returned to Tasmania after nearly 200 years for a traditional burial ceremony.

• The skull belonged to a young Tasmanian Aboriginal man from the Big River tribe, who was murdered in the 1820s or 1830s on the Shannon River and decapitated for the colonial trade in Indigenous body parts.
• The University of Aberdeen acquired the skull in 1852, where it was used in medical education before being transferred to a cultural collection in the 2000s.
• Discussions to repatriate the remains began in 2019 with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, and the university approved the return in 2020 as part of its policy to address historical injustices.
• The Big River tribe was entirely wiped out during the colonial period, leaving no direct descendants, with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre recognized as the appropriate organization to manage the repatriation.
• The skull will be returned to Tasmania on Friday, March 21, 2025, for a traditional burial ceremony, marking a step toward addressing the violence and racism of its acquisition.

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