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Yardil Headdress Returns Home

Yardil Songman's Headdress

Mundaring and Hills Historical Society supports the repatriation of First Nations artefacts back to their cultural home.


With the help of Aiatsis.- Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.

For Lardil elder and songman Lawrence Burke, the return of his grandfather's headdress to its home on Kunhanhaa (Mornington Island) after more than 50 years in the United Kingdom, signifies hope for the future.


Mr Burke said “We lost many artefacts like boomerangs, spears, paintings, rocks. All of these are important because it's how we teach the younger ones. It's how we tell our stories, and that's how we keep our culture alive."


The returning of the piece marks a stride towards bringing home even more culturally significant items.

In 1973, Mr Burke's late grandfather Philip Jack performed with the headdress at the opening of the Sydney Opera House.


Mr Jack gifted the headdress as a gesture of friendship to his neighbour Maurice Routhan, who was leaving for the UK.


In recent years Mr Routhan sought to return the headdress, and with the help of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), it was brought home in January 2020.

The artefact was handed back during a ceremony in Canberra this week while a keeping place is being arranged on Mornington Island.

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Because History Matters

Mundaring and Hills Historical Society 

Mundaring Station Master's House

3060 Jacoby Street

Mundaring 6073

Western Australia

08 9295 0540

​

OPENING HOURS:

Monday & Friday 9.30am to 4.00pm

Wednesday 9.30am to 1.30pm

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Mundaring District Museum

Old Mundaring School

Great Eastern Highway

Mundaring 6073

Western Australia

08 9295 0540

​

OPENING HOURS

Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 4.00pm

Sunday & Public Holidays 10.30am to 2.30pm

​

​

MHHS wish to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this Country and pay our respects to Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Whadjuk people who are part of the Noongar nation, the country on which we live and work, and we acknowledge their ownership and custodianship

Mundaring & Hills Historical Society is appreciative and grateful to

the Shire of Mundaring for providing FULL FUNDING for the development and hosting of this website.  

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© 2021 MHHS Western Australia | Because History Matters | Dedicated to Preserving the History of Mundaring and Surrounds in the Perth Hills

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