Austria returns remains of 64 indigenous people to New Zealand

FILE PHOTO: People wearing protective masks against COVID-19 ride a tram as it passes the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria, October 19, 2020. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - The remains of around 64 indigenous New Zealanders that were stolen in the 19th century will officially be welcomed home on Sunday following more than 70 years of negotiations, the head of the repatriation team said on Thursday.

The skeletal remains, which include skulls without mandibles, craniums, loose mandibles and maxilla fragments, were handed over in an official ceremony in Vienna on Tuesday, where there was a panel and presentation.