Cambridge’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology will repatriate four Australian Aboriginal spears, which were taken by Lieutenant James Cook in 1770 from Kamay (Botany Bay) during the initial encounter between the HMB Endeavour crew and the Aboriginal people of eastern Australia.
Trinity College has made the decision to permanently return these spears to the La Perouse Aboriginal community. The College is in the process of seeking approval from the UK’s Charity Commission to transfer legal ownership.
“It has been immensely rewarding to work with the La Perouse community to research these artefacts and we look forward to extending the partnership into the future.”
Professor Nicholas Thomas, Director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
In April 1770, Captain Cook documented the acquisition of 40 spears from the encampments of the Aboriginal people residing in Botany Bay.
Upon his return to England, Captain Cook’s superior, Lord Sandwich of the British Admiralty, presented Trinity College with the four spears. These spears have remained a part of the college’s collection since 1771.
Since 1914, these four spears have been under the custodianship of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, representing the sole surviving remnants from the original cache of 40 spears collected.
Trinity College’s decision is the outcome of a decade-long effort to establish a respectful and robust relationship between the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Aboriginal community at La Perouse.
This ongoing collaboration has involved discussions with representatives from the local Gweagal people, who are the Aboriginal group from which the spears were originally obtained, as well as broader engagement with the Dharawal Nation and key community organizations such as the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council and the Gujaga Foundation.
Following the repatriation, the connection between Cambridge and La Perouse will continue through collaborative research projects and community visits.
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In an exchange of knowledge, the La Perouse community is currently lending contemporary spears crafted by Senior Gweagal Clan leader Rodney Mason to the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. This showcases the transmission of traditional wisdom, adapting to new technologies over generations.
Trinity College’s decision to return the spears comes in response to a formal repatriation request made in December 2022 by the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council and the Gujaga Foundation.
Previously, in 2015 and 2020, some of these spears were temporarily returned to Australia for the first time since their acquisition. They were displayed by the National Museum of Australia in Canberra as part of two exhibitions exploring early interactions on the frontier.
The permanent repatriation of the spears will be facilitated with the support of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).
Noeleen Timbery, Chairperson of the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council, has expressed that the spears will be preserved for the benefit of future generations.
“We are proud to have worked with Cambridge’s Trinity College and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology to transfer the ownership of these enormously significant artefacts to the La Perouse Aboriginal community.”
“They are an important connection to our past, our traditions and cultural practices, and to our ancestors. With assistance from the National Museum of Australia and AIATSIS we will ensure these objects are preserved for our future generations and for all Australians.”
“Our Elders have worked for many years to see their ownership transferred to the traditional owners of Botany Bay. Many of the families within the La Perouse Aboriginal community are descended from those who were present during the eight days the Endeavour was anchored in Kamay in 1770”
Ms Timbery.
Professor Nicholas Thomas, Director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, said he was honoured to have worked with the Kamay community to repatriate the spears.
“It has been immensely rewarding to work with the La Perouse community to research these artefacts and we look forward to extending the partnership into the future”
“The spears are exceptionally significant. They are the first artefacts collected by any European from any part of Australia, that remain extant and documented. They reflect the beginnings of a history of misunderstanding and conflict. Their significance will be powerfully enhanced through return to the country.”
Professor Nicholas Thomas, Director of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Dame Sally Davies, Master of Trinity College, welcomed the decision to return the spears.
“Trinity is committed to better understanding the College’s history, and to addressing the complex legacies of the British Empire, not least in our collections”
“The College’s interaction with the La Perouse Aboriginal community, the University of Cambridge and National Museum Australia regarding the return of artefacts to the people from whom they were taken has been a respectful and rewarding process.”
“We believe that this is the right decision and I would like to acknowledge and thank all those involved.”
Professor Davies.
Dharawal Elder, Dr Shayne Williams said:
“These spears are of immeasurable value as powerful, tangible connections between our forebears and ourselves. I want to acknowledge the respectfulness of Trinity College in returning these spears back to our community. In caring for the spears for over 252 years, Trinity College has ensured that these priceless artefacts can now be utilised for cultural education by the Aboriginal community into the future.”
Dharawal Elder, Dr Shayne Williams
See also: Lt James Cook aboard His Majesty’s Bark Endeavour first sight of Australia
List of Persons Who Left England in HMB Endeavour, 26th August, 1768
1. Captain Cook’s ship Endeavour confirmed found in Newport Harbour, USA
2. Secret Orders to Captain James Cook on H.M. Bark ENDEAVOUR
3. Captain Cook’s Journal 1-18 Apr.1770: Passage from New Zealand to New Holland
4. James Cook journal: 20th – 28th April, 1770 on HMB Endeavour
