Australia's oldest human remains at 40,000 years old have returned home

Australia’s oldest human remains have been returned to their ancestral home.

"Mungo Man," who died more than 40,000 years ago, has been determined as the first known Australian, more evidence (if you somehow needed more) that Australia has been — and always will be — Aboriginal land.

The remains of "Mungo Man" were relinquished by scientists in Canberra on Nov. 15, and began the journey back to where they were first "discovered" and removed over 40 years ago in Lake Mungo, New South Wales.

Although the discovery was considered a landmark for the scientific community, reports SBS, the removal caused much distress to the Traditional Owners of the Lake Mungo region. The remains were held at the Australian National University until 2015, until a decision was made to return them, along with the remains of about 100 other Aboriginal people.

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The beginning of the journey was marked by a traditional ceremony and speeches from Elders of the Mutti Mutti, Paakantyi and Ngyampaa people, the modern descendants of the Traditional Owners, according to The Conversation.

"Mungo Man" left from the National Museum in a ceremony spoken at by Mutti Mutti Elder, Aunty Mary Pappin, filmed by Ellie Gilbert.

"This has been a very, very long journey," she said at the ceremony. We're nearly at the end of this journey, taking these ancestors home.

"It's been a long road for our people, a lot of our old people have passed on now that started this same fight that we've had. They've left us this legacy and now we're carrying it through today."

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"We're still surviving today," she said, of First Nations Peoples. "We should be able to go for another 40,000, if we all work together." 

[h/t SBS]