'Measina' or cultural artefacts kept in a German museum will be back in Samoa in June as a team from the National University of Samoa embark on a journey to retrieve the long-lost treasures from the Uebersee Museum.

Director for Samoan Studies, Ta’iao Matiu Dr Matavai Tautunu, along with two staff members, will be making this trip.

"I'm really happy, and this is a great opportunity for our people to see these artefacts again. When I visited the museum last year, I felt the spirit of our ancestors through the objects," said Ta'iao.

This eventually led Ta'iao to request the return of the Samoan artefacts from the Uebersee Museum. The measina collection was taken during German colonial rule in Samoa between 1900 and 1914. According to research, the German government took many artefacts from Samoa during this period and shipped them to Germany.

Measina such as war clubs, pigeon hunting tools and fish hooks are some of the smaller objects that will be returned while a significantly larger object would be an 'alia' which is a type of va'a Samoa. 

"Pa sina, pa uli, pa ulialaulilo, there are many of these materials that are hardly seen today, even a net called matali'i," said Ta'iao.

He also said the different types of materials that were used to make the Samoan traditional fans are some of the objects they would like to bring back. 

"This is also an opportunity for the objects to be used for educational purposes, especially here at NUS," he added. 

The artefacts will be returned to Samoa in June, after which they will be exhibited at the National University of Samoa in September in its mini museum on campus. The measina collection is significant to not only Samoans as it represents their cultural heritage but it will be used to teach programs in development studies, archaeology and cultural heritage, and Samoan language and culture which are the three teaching programmes within the Centre for Samoan Studies. 

Ta'iao said the return of these artefacts is critical as it will allow Samoans to reconnect with their history and culture, especially the impact it will have on the generation of today. 

"We can't bring all the objects in the museum, although we would love to," Ta’iao added.

Despite not being able to grab all the materials, Ta'iao and his team are working with other museums such as the Auckland Museum.

"We will ask other museums and universities to bring other objects back to Samoa. We will work collaboratively to share and loan for the continuation of projects like this," said Ta'iao.

The Übersee Museum in Germany recently came to an agreement to repatriate the artefacts to their rightful places, which has been received with gratitude by Ta’iao.

The team of three will spend two weeks in Germany, attending workshops, presenting, and selecting the objects at the museum. 

Ta’iao said the workshops will also serve as a training session to teach the group how these artefacts can be securely kept. He emphasised the importance of selecting the right objects and how to handle them to ensure that they are not ruined.

The return of the measina collection is significant for all Samoans as it represents a step toward reconnecting with their cultural heritage.