The boomerang that won’t come back?
Published: 22 August, 2008, 13:13
Edited: 25 September, 2009, 16:22
The boomerang that British explorer James Cook took from Australia more then three centuries ago should return to its place of origin, an Aboriginal leader said Friday. The iconic weapon is expected to fetch up to $US 113,000 at auction at Christie's.
Captain Cook was the first European to reach the southern continent when his ship, ‘Endeavour’, landed there in 1770. He collected the boomerang – which is to come under the hammer in September – in what is now Sydney.
There is no record on how the boomerang came into Cook’s possession. It has remained for generations with the family of the executor of his widow's will.
Aboriginal leader Merv Ryan said his Gweigal people believe that the artifact should be returned to the suburb of Kurnell in what is now Sydney bayside, reports the Associated Press news agency.
“Having the boomerang back in Kurnell will be a historic symbol of harmony between our two cultures and will help teach young Australians about the importance of Aboriginal culture,” Ryan said.
The Australian government is considering bidding for the boomerang.
22.08.2008, 10:11
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The british are well know for stealing things from countries they colonized and lied it was a gift. The stole a lot from Nigeria and other African countries. They have not stopped stealing n Africa in this centuries. They are the cause of most problems in africa. They should return the boomernag to Austilia wthether it was given as a gift as they always lie or not.
"Captain Cook was the first European to reach the southern continent when his ship, ‘Endeavour’, landed there in 1770." That's the most ridiculous, uninformed assertion I've read in a while. The Dutch and Portuguese were all over the northern coast of Australia from the 15th Century. Start your search with Dirk Hartog (1616) then move to Abel Tasman (Tasmania anyone?) who was there in 1637. Cook wasn't even the first Englishman, with a few pirates (William Dampier, 1699) and traders making their way around as well. Sydney? Yes, he was almost certainly the first. As to the artifact - there's no allegation that Lieutenant Cook (as he was then) stole anything from the indigenous Australians. So why should it be given "back" to a whole country, or even a race of people, when it's not clear from whence it came? It would certainly have belonged to an individual, who may well have made a gift of it to Cook. There is no basis for comparison to, say, the Elgin Marbles, which were certainly of cultural importance to Athenians en masse. That is, of collective cultural importance. To use a hypothetical English example, compare taking a firearm used by a infantryman at Waterloo with taking a section of Hadrian's Wall. They both have historical significance, which is what makes them valuable, but would anyone seriously challenge the personal ownership of the firearm? A boomerang is a hunting weapon, and this one's not even a relic from a famous battle (with a kangaroo?). I'm an Australian and respect my indigenous countrymen enormously. I think this is way over the top, however.