The Naga remains which had been under the custodianship of the Pitt Rivers Museum for over a century have now been formally returned to the care of the Naga communities in a solemn handover ceremony hosted by the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford on November 9, 2026.
In a historic handover ceremony, the Oxford University Council transferred the custodianship of 39 Naga ancestral remains to the Naga people through the Forum for Naga Reconciliation and the Naga Tribe Hoho. Since the Pitt Rivers Museum was established in 1884, collectors have donated Naga artifacts including Naga ancestral human remains to the museum. The Naga repatriation ceremony was the culmination of a process that began in 2020 with the Forum for Naga Reconciliation as the facilitator. The Naga remains which had been under the custodianship of the Pitt Rivers Museum for over a century have now been formally returned to the care of the Naga communities in a solemn handover ceremony hosted by the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford on November 9, 2026.
The landmark Transfer of Title Form was jointly signed by Professor Laura Van Broekhoven on behalf of the Pitt Rivers Museum, and Rev. Dr Wati Aier on behalf of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation. The document was also attested by two witnesses: Visier Sanyü on behalf of the Forum for Reconciliation, and Thejao Vihienuo as a representative of the Naga Tribe Hoho. Following the handover, the ancestral remains were moved out from the University of Oxford to begin their journey home.
The handover ceremony began with a chant Langhon Langpheng Ngao by Nyamto Wangsha. In the chant he expressed the idea that when the soul returns, the village heals. This was followed by a speech from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Professor Irene Tracey who recognised the event as, “historic between the university and the Naga people.” She emphasised the Naga repatriation journey as a distinct community-led initiative of reconciliation, healing, and peace. Speeches were also made by the representative of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, Professor Visier Sanyü, who shared a personal testimony where he recounted the burning down of his village by the colonial British force. He explained how the power of forgiveness forged and nourished new friendships with those who caused harm. He quoted the late Naga peace activist, Niketu Iralu, who remarked that “hate not transformed is transferred”, and applied this principle to his work on peace and reconciliation.
This was followed by the President of the Angami Public Organisation, Thejao Vihienuo, who spoke on behalf of the Naga Tribe Hoho. Emphasising that repatriation is a Naga right to take care of our ancestors and an acknowledgement of our common humanity, he pointed out that all Naga ancestral remains kept in museums must return to the homeland with dignity. The coordinator of the Recover, Restore, and Decolonise (RRaD) team, Rev. Dr Ellen Konyak, spoke about how the repatriation is not the end but a new beginning for the Nagas to create our own story. NT Thamlong Phom and Dr Moishen Metjei Phom presented a song, Nyokei Shemei Leishah, that evoked the sentiments of taking the Naga ancestors home. The gathering recognised the repatriation as the beginning of a journey to address difficult colonial histories and embrace the renewal and visions of a shared humanity.
