Aboriginal spears stolen by Captain James Cook to be returned to Australia

Aboriginal spears taken by British explorer James Cook and his landing party upon their arrival in Australia in 1770 will soon be returned to a  local Aboriginal community.

These four spears are believed to be the only remaining items out of many that were collected by the first colonialists, and they are currently being held at Cambridge University in the UK. 

After a 20-year campaign by Indigenous people, Cambridge’s Trinity College has agreed to return the spears. 

Captain Cook first landed in Australia on a beach at Botany Bay in Sydney’s south, where he and his crew were confronted by two men from the Gweagal clan of the Dharawal peoples, who were the traditional owners of the land. 

While Cook’s arrival was once considered a foundational event in Australia’s modern history, many now view it as controversial, given that Aboriginal people lived on the land for tens of thousands of years beforehand, and many attribute ongoing problems to colonisation. 

The spears will be handed back to the local Aboriginal community and displayed at a new visitor centre.

‘Mixed emotions’

Ray Ingrey, chairman of the community’s Gujaga Foundation, said the moment held “mixed emotions” for him, but acknowledged the role Trinity College played in preserving the spears in a “museum-grade facility”.

“It’s been a long time for us. Our elders, over 20 years ago, started a campaign to return cultural objects.

“A lot of elders, particularly our senior women, are no longer with us. It’s a day of happiness, but also sadness because they’re not here to celebrate with us.

“It’s also a day for all Australians, and even the British community, to reflect on our history.”