Manchester Museum has returned 174 cultural items belonging to an Australian Aboriginal community back to them this week.
Manchester Museum – which officially reopened back in February after a two-year £15 million transformation project – has been working collaboratively with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and the Anindilyakwa Land Council over the last three years to determine where these items should live, and where they would stand the best chance of “inspiring future generations”.
It was decided that this would be within the communities of their origin.
The Museum says building “a greater understanding and empathy between cultures” is central to its mission, and in this, it’s committed to the “unconditional return” of collections and belongings to origin communities as important way of creating a more “equitable and hopeful future” for museums.
Manchester Museum has returned 174 cultural heritage items to Australian Aboriginal communities / Credit: Chris Bull (via Manchester Museum)
It follows in a 20-year history of returning items to Indigenous communities, and is guided by Manchester Museum’s values of “inclusivity, imagination, and care”, which it says is “underpinned” by the University of Manchester‘s own commitment to social responsibility.
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The Museum says it takes great pride in working together with relevant Indigenous communities to tell their stories in “different” ways.
And so, continuing on with mission, earlier this week, a delegation from the Aboriginal Anindilyakwa community of Groote Eylandt – which is an island located approximately 50km from the north coast of mainland Australia in the Northern Territory – joined staff at Manchester Museum.
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The community delegates were present for the formal return of the 174 cultural heritage items that were previously in the Museum’s possession.
This morning we celebrated the return of 174 cultural heritage items to the Anindilyakwa People.
Georgina Young, Head of Exhibitions and Collections at Manchester Museum, talks about why this repatriation is so special & what events we have on this week. pic.twitter.com/92ScqSzIay
One of the highlights of the collection that was returned is a group of dolls made from shells – Dadikwakwa-kwa in the Anindilyakwa language – which have not only unlocked a rich cultural history, but also inspired the Dadikwakwa-kwa Project led by ten talented women artists from Anindilyakwa Art Centre.
Two of the artists, senior elder Noeleen Lalara and emerging leader Maicie Lalara, were a part of the delegation of Anindilyakwa women that will be present at Manchester Museum for the handover, alongside emerging leader Amethea Mamarika.
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The Dadikwakwa-kwa Project was partly-inspired by the conversations that took place with Amethea’s grandmother (Old Lady Edith Mamarika) on Groote Eylandt around her memories of the shell dolls now being returned.
Traditionally painted by parents for their daughters using intricate ochre designs, they have helped to strengthen cross-generational bonds within the Anindilyakwa community.
Some of the items that have been returned to the Aboriginal Anindilyakwa community / Credit: Manchester Museum
The Museum says the return of these items is already supporting Anindilyakwa in “cultural strengthening” and “revitalisation” – with descendant generations using the items to connect with their heritage.
Speaking as the items were returned, Georgina Young, who is the Head of Exhibitions and Collections, Manchester Museum, said: “Having spent time on Groote Eylandt at the invitation of the Anindilyakwa People makes reaching this point of handover feel momentous in a different way to any of Manchester Museum’s past returns.
Sitting with Elders and hearing them discuss this collection on their land in their terms has enabled me to understand and care in ways not possible in a store room in Manchester, and brought us to a place of understanding together.
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“We are excited by all that this return makes possible in terms of future partnership, but more so by how it supports Anindilyakwa cultural strengthening for years to come.”
Stephen Smith, who is the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, has also praised the Museum for the items’ return, adding: “The return of these significant cultural heritage items is important for Australia’s reconciliation process.
“It also helps renew cultural practices and safeguard such practices and items for future generations.”
Featured Image – Manchester Museum
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Amazon is hiding loads of free stuff in lockers next week for Prime Big Deal Days
Daisy Jackson
Amazon will be hiding free gifts around the UK next week to celebrate Prime Big Deal Days.
The online retail giant will be stashing everything from mobile phones and earphones to beauty gift sets and designer watches in its network of lockers.
You might even stumble upon a new, free kitchen gadget when you’re collecting your normal Amazon shopping.
There is a catch though (or a perk, depending on how you look at it).
The Irish star, who just landed his first UK number one album, wants to make customers ‘feel like a big deal’, apparently.
And seeing as he shot to fame with his viral flashmob stunts, he seems like a good choice to be popping up from behind Amazon lockers as people pick up their online shop.
Cian Ducrot comments: “My flash mob performances are all about spreading joy and music, and I loved helping shoppers feel like a big deal at the Amazon Lockers.”
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Day sales event, which is taking place on 10 and 11 October 2023, will also see the brand hide hundreds of items in Amazon Lockers around the UK.
Over those two days, Prime members who are collecting shopping will be given the opportunity to pick a code, which will open a locker containing a free item to take away.
Surprise locker locations will be in London, Cardiff, Liverpool, Newcastle, Belfast, Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester on 10 and 11 October.
The giveaway runs alongside a Prime member exclusive shopping event, featuring deals on everything Prime members need for Autumn, from making an early start to festive shopping, to stocking up on seasonal essentials.
Council Tax in Manchester could be raised to support the city’s ‘poorest households’
Emily Sergeant
Manchester City Council has laid out plans to potentially raise residents’ Council Tax to help support the “poorest households” in the city.
Councillors are proposing that, under the city’s current Council Tax Support scheme, the amount owed by a household is reduced by up to 100% for pension-age residents with the lowest incomes, and up to 82.5% for working-age residents with the lowest incomes from April 2024 – with the maximum reduction for working-age residents increased by 2.5% to 85%.
This means the maximum that those eligible for support would have to pay is just 15% of the bill, according to Manchester City Council.
At the same time, it’s being proposed that rules allowing reductions to be backdated, in instances where someone “has a good reason not to have claimed sooner”, are extended to allow up to a year’s back payments, rather than up to six months as is currently the case.
With the proposals all laid out, a consultation has been opened and residents living in the Manchester borough are now being asked for their views.
The Council is proposing changes to the Council Tax Support scheme that would provide more support for Manchester residents.
The Council Tax Support scheme currently provides around one fifth of Manchester households with help paying their Council Tax, but it’s estimated that these proposed changes would cost the Council around £770,000 in 2024/25.
This proposed raising of Council Tax also comes after the Council revealed earlier last month that £50 million in funding will go towards upgrading and improving social housing in Manchester over the next two years – with thousands of tenants living in social housing and Council-owned residential complexes across the city and wider borough set to benefit.
Residents in these properties are set receive what is being dubbed “transformational investment” to their homes before 2026.
Council Tax in Manchester could be raised to support the city’s ‘poorest households’ / Credit: Archello / Rockpanel
“We are acutely aware that some residents are really struggling due to cost of living pressures,” admitted Cllr Rabnawaz Akbar, who is the Executive Member for Finance at Manchester City Council on the proposals, “and this is why we’ve already introduced a range of measures to help people access food, advice and support.
“As part of this wider response, we want to go even further to help the poorest households in Manchester with their Council Tax, and that’s what these proposals are all about.
“We’re keen to hear your views on what we’re suggesting before we make a final decision.”