The image here is of a piece of Aboriginal Art from the Dja Dja Wurrung clan which occupied land around Bendigo in Central/Western Victoria at the time of colonisation. What makes this piece of art newsworthy, apart from its antiquity and its rarity, is that it is "owned" by the British Museum and the Dja Dja Wurrung want it back.

A point of view that might be taken is that it is art, capable of being owned by anyone, including the British Museum. If you subscribe to this view then it would be difficult to imagine a more responsible custodian of the art work. It is not the view of the Dja Dja Wurrung people however. Like the Taunurong clan, to which Mrs Green Man belongs, the Dja Dja Wurrung have precious little of their heritage that survived the cultural onsaught that was the English invasion of Australia. This work is of immense cultural significance and they are fighting desparately to have it retained in Australia and accordingly they have launch legal proceedings to retain it in Australia.

The complexity arises from the fact that, should they succeed, they are unlikely to see any of the other relics taken from Australia ever return. Museums will simply not lend stuff to Australian museums if there is a significant risk they will not get them back. The Green Man is extremely sympathetic to their position however he suspects that suing museums will turn out, in the long run, to be both expensive and counterproductive.

Read more in The Age