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In 1868, the Burke Museum acquired a collection of almost 100 Aboriginal artefacts from an amateur anthropologist named Reynell Eveleigh Johns. This collection was on display almost continuously until it was removed during the fires in 2003.
Shortly thereafter, the collection was determined to have been collected using unethical and illegitimate methods. Since then, the Burke Museum has been working closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, as well as non-indigenous Australians, to identify and facilitate the return of important cultural items to their rightful owners.
In 2013, fifteen objects were identified as having been crafted by the Dja Dja Wurrung people and as a result, two items were returned during the signing of the Dja Dja Wurrung Native Title Ceremony that year. In 2018, the remaining thirteen objects were returned and was celebrated with a brief exhibition in the museum and a smoking ceremony.
Today, the Burke Museum is working on identifying a new group of Aboriginal artefacts ascribed to South Australia. In 2022, the museum invited Kaurna Elders to examine these objects and is continuing to work with the community to determine their rightful ownership. The Burke Museum is dedicated to working collaboratively and respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to ensure that cultural heritage is preserved and returned to its rightful owners.