After years of work, the remains of two Moriori ancestors will return to New Zealand.
The karapuna (ancestors) will return in the care of Hokotehi Moriori Trust trustees Belinda Williamson and Jared Watty.
"We hold this mahi, this work, this activation for repatriation, or rematriation, with the highest regard," Ms Williamson told AAP.
"To serve not only our many living Moriori but our karapuna by doing this."
Mr Watty said bringing the karapuna home is the most important work for members of the trust.
"It's pretty special, it's very warming to get the opportunity to take our karapuna home," Mr Watty said.
The ancestral remains had been held at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra since 2022, when they were returned by the Australian National University.
They were originally part of the former Australian Institute of Anatomy's holdings.
Two years of work between the National Museum of Australia, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand and the Moriori community has gone into the ancestors' return.
"The work began on the shoulders of other Moriori and we do this work in uinity as a collective, sharing the same purpose and vision to bring our karapuna home," Ms Williamson said.
Te Papa carries out the work of the Karanga Aotearoa Repatriation Programme, which returns ancestral remains to Aotearoa New Zealand.
Te Papa Kaihautu | Maori co-leader Dr Arapata Hakiwai, said the repatriation program is progressing toward the goal of bringing home all Maori and Moriori ancestors held overseas.
The return of these ancestors is an important act of respect, acknowledgement, and cultural restoration,” he said.
The ancestors will be held at Te Papa's wahi tchap (sacred repository), alongside around 512 others held by the museum.
They will be held at the museum in Wellington until Moriori people determine it is the right time for them to return to their ancestral home on the islands of Rekohu and Rangihaute (Chatham Islands), to the southeast of New Zealand.
"It's a healing process for us, about reconnection to people, the land and the sea, to be able to bring them home," Ms Williamson said.
"There's a lot of emotion that goes with that ... we're really looking forward to their next journey."
Research indicates about 550 Moriori skeletal remains have been taken from Rekohu and Rangihaute (Chatham Islands) since the late 1800s.
"My hope is that we can come to an arrangement with any institution or individual that has our karapuna in their possession and they return them," Mr Watty said.
"I hope they finally get to rest back on Rekohu, is the ultimate goal."
The delegation will be formally welcomed back to New Zealand at Rongomareroa, the national marae (communal meeting place) at Te Papa, in a private ceremony on Wednesday.
