An Aboriginal breastplate that was presented to Jack Kapeen in 1865 has been missing from a Lismore museum for over six decades. The artifact was sold at an auction conducted by Bonhams in 2011. Bundjalung elder Aunty Ros Sten is advocating for the return of this significant piece of her family’s heritage.<\/p>\n
Aunty Ros asserts that the breastplate, given to her great-great-grandfather, was stolen from the museum around 1965. She is convinced that it is now owned by a private collector and is calling for its return, emphasizing the importance of publicly displaying the item to honor Aboriginal history.<\/p>\n
“This breastplate is not an individual possession,” Aunty Ros stated. “It rightfully belongs to the land from which it originated. It should be shared with all communities, not exclusively Aboriginal people. It serves as a testament to our presence.” <\/p>\n
Robert Smith, president of the Richmond River Historical Society, which was formerly known as the Lismore Museum, confirmed that the breastplate was indeed taken from the museum around 1965. He noted that alongside other breastplates, there was a sign indicating that this particular item had been stolen.<\/p>\n
Dr. Smith explained that these breastplates were originally given to Aboriginal individuals by early European settlers as tokens of respect for their assistance. “Today, the breastplates are often misconstrued as symbols of oppression, akin to a chain around the neck, which oversimplifies the intentions behind their creation,” he remarked.<\/p>\n
“In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was common for British military officers to wear breastplates known as gorgets, signifying honor. This was the message conveyed by settlers to Aboriginal people,” he added.<\/p>\n
Aunty Ros has vivid memories of visiting the museum at the age of five, accompanied by her grandmother, who pointed out the breastplate awarded to her ancestor by European settlers. The copper, crescent-shaped plate, displayed high on a wall, was inscribed with the title Jack Kibbeen King of Wollongbar, accompanied by engravings of an Aboriginal warrior and a kangaroo.<\/p>\n In 2011, Aunty Ros came close to retrieving the breastplate. After receiving a tip from a local journalist, she discovered it listed for auction just days before the event. She contacted Bonhams Auctions and urged them to halt the sale, offering up to $5,000 to buy it back for the family. The auctioneer indicated they would consider her offer if the item did not meet its reserve price.<\/p>\n Aunty Ros was disheartened to learn that the breastplate was sold to a private buyer for $3,360. “It was a disappointing outcome,” she reflected. “This issue transcends monetary value; it is about the pain associated with losing our heritage.” <\/p>\n Attempts to reclaim the breastplate have been met with obstacles. Aunty Ros reached out to numerous government agencies, including the Richmond Police District and the Federal Office of the Arts and Heritage NSW, seeking assistance in recovering the artifact. However, police were unable to act due to a lack of proof of provenance.<\/p>\n Her niece, Mindy Woods, has joined the campaign to recover the “bittersweet artifact.” “We believe that Aboriginal artifacts should not be in private ownership; they belong to the communities from which they originated,” she asserted. “This breastplate is a vital connection to our past and an essential part of our heritage.” <\/p>\n Ms. Woods expressed frustration over the lengthy struggle, noting that her family has been trying to reclaim the breastplate for nearly three decades. “This delay has been too long,” she said. “Elders have passed away without seeing it returned.” <\/p>\n Leonard Hill, chief executive of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), remarked on the extensive loss of cultural items from Indigenous communities, many of which now reside in private collections worldwide. AIATSIS focuses on repatriating ancestral items from abroad.<\/p>\n In response to the situation, Heritage NSW acknowledged the cultural importance of the breastplate to the Kapeen family and expressed its commitment to investigating the matter further. They are collaborating with the family to identify potential pathways for voluntary repatriation.<\/p>\n The Federal Office of the Arts also indicated that Aboriginal ancestral breastplates, often referred to as “king plates,” may qualify as “Australian protected objects,” which are subject to export restrictions under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986. To verify its cultural significance, the item must undergo expert examination and evaluation by the National Cultural Heritage Committee.<\/p>\n Aunty Ros expressed her hope for a resolution, underscoring the importance of bringing the breastplate back to its rightful home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" An Aboriginal breastplate that was presented to Jack Kapeen in 1865 has been missing from a Lismore museum for over six decades. The artifact was sold at an auction conducted by Bonhams in 2011. Bundjalung elder Aunty Ros Sten is advocating for the return of this significant piece of her family’s heritage. Aunty Ros asserts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8859,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[43,60,427,1538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australia","category-au-history","category-au-indigenous-australians","category-au-indigenous-culture"],"yoast_head":"\n