Museum of Archeology and Anthropology and Trinity College, Cambridge:
RETURN THE GWEAGAL SPEARS
This campaign has been set up by Rodney Kelly, a descendant of the Yuin people and the Gweagal people. He is the sixth time great-grandson of the warrior Cooman who stood on the beach when Cook landed in Botany Bay on April 29, 1770. Two warriors watched as a boat full of strange men approached their shores. Bravely holding their ground and defending their lands, the two warriors were shot by Lt. Cook from his landing boat.
Those men were from the clan of the Gweagal (Fire) People. The Gweagal are the original Native inhabitants of Sydney’s Botany Bay Region. The Gweagal People are still alive today and have passed on the oral history of Cook’s first landing in their traditional style.
Many artefacts were taken by Cook that day including the Gweagal Shield, which belonged to Cooman. The shield is widely considered to be one of Australia’s most important historical artefacts, and has been exhibited in the UK for over 200 years. Rodney has launched a campaign to demand the repatriation of the shield from the British Museum, with the full support of the NSW Parliament.
Rodney Kelly is a modern day warrior of the Gweagal clan. He is also the matrilineal grandson of Guboo Ted Thomas, an elder of the Yuin people and leading land rights activist of the 1970s
Previous petitions here: 1 , 2 and 3
Contribute to funding Rodney’s next visit to Cambridge here: https://www.gofundme.com/gweagal