Morung Express News
Kohima | October 10
The intervention of the State Government has resulted in the reversal of the auction of a rare Naga artefact that was set to be sold in the United Kingdom, Nagaland Minister for Power & Parliamentary Affairs and Government Spokesperson, KG Kenye, stated on Wednesday. The Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, had recently written to the Union Minister of External Affairs, expressing strong objections to the auction of the artefact, known as Nagaska. "The auction was scheduled for today (October 9)," he said while addressing the media after the State Cabinet Meeting.
"Our Chief Minister was swift in reacting and conveyed his displeasure about the situation," he maintained, adding that with the timely intervention, the auction has been halted, and the item has been removed from the auction list. He confirmed that those responsible for organising the auction were contacted, leading to the reversal of the decision.
While acknowledging the efforts of the Forum for Nagaland Reconciliation (FNR), Kenye asserted that the State Government is ready to step in and assist in any way in the matter of repatriating our cultural heritage. He also added that these artefacts are not contraband or illegal items but are the rightful property of the Naga people.
The Government Spokesperson also assured the involvement of the State Government in ensuring that the repatriation process follows the correct channels and is carried out in accordance with international norms. He reiterated the government's commitment to protect its cultural heritage and to ensure that Naga artefacts are returned to their rightful place.
As per reports, the Swan auction house at Tetsworth in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, had withdrawn a ‘Naga Human Skull’ from its lots for a live online sale on Wednesday following an outcry in India over the issue.
Tom Keane, the owner of the auction house, said the Naga skull was withdrawn to respect the feelings of all those involved. “We listened to the views expressed, and even though it was legal to proceed with the sale, we decided to withdraw the lot as we did not want to cause anyone any upset,” the PTI news agency quoted the owner as saying.
“This piece would be of particular interest to collectors with a focus on anthropology and tribal cultures,” reads the description of the auction lot, listed for an opening bid of GBP 2,100 (approximately Rs 2.30 lakh), with the auctioneer’s estimate expecting it to fetch as much as GBP 4,000 (approximately Rs 4.39 lakh), it added. The provenance of the artifact is traced back to the collection of 19th-century Belgian architect Francois Coppens, the PTI report added
