Ancestral remains of 60 Maori and Moriori have been returned to New Zealand in the second-largest repatriation of human remains to the country.
Remnants of at least 54 individuals were welcomed back from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, while the rest have come from other US and UK institutions.
Wellington's Te Papa hosted the emotional ceremony on Friday, with 60 police staff playing a central role as pallbearers.
(Laura Macdonald / Newshub.)
The remains include four toi moko -- mummified tattooed Maori heads -- and the jaw of a seven-year-old.
Te Papa's Dr Arapata Hakiwai says the collections represent a "dark time" in the history of museums and collecting.
"These were dark days, when these tupuna (ancestors) were traded, collected and stolen, but today we have the opportunity to put right the mistakes of the past.
"We are extremely thankful to the Smithsonian Institute for their efforts to return our ancestors to their homes."
(Laura Macdonald / Newshub.)
Many of the Smithsonian's remains were collected during the United States' Transit of Venus expedition of 1874-75, and the Wilkes expedition of 1838-42 led by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes.
Police deputy chief executive of Maori Superintendent Wally Haumaha says being asked to be part of the ceremony was humbling.
"It is a real honour for the New Zealand Police to be asked to carry the remains of someone's ancestors onto the marae to bring closure for many families."
(Laura Macdonald / Newshub.)
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History's Dr Kirk Johnson says it was happy to work with Te Papa to get the remains back.
"I join the leadership and staff of Te Papa in recognising this as an important landmark in the positive relations between our two museums, and the people of New Zealand and the United States."
The remains are believed to have come from across the country, including Chatham Islands and Otago.
The repatriation is part of the national Karanga Aotearoa programme, in which more than 400 individuals have returned from institutions around the world since it began in 1990.
The remains will be subject to quarantine, conservation and research before being returned, where possible, to whanau.
Newshub.
