Prince William has agreed to help search for the missing skull of an Aboriginal warrior which was sent to England more than 200 years ago, a community leader said on Thursday.
The prince's private secretary wrote to Aboriginal elders in Sydney after they asked him to locate and return the skull of Pemulwuy, who was shot and beheaded in 1802, during his visit in January.
Aboriginal Housing Company chief Mick Mundine said the offer marked a big step forward for the long-running campaign to return the skull and heal historical wounds.
"It's a big thing Prince William even coming to Redfern (in Sydney). For him to return a letter to us is really a blessing," Mundine told AFP.
"This has been going for decades. I think it's a blessing Prince William did come here, he's the future king."
Pemulwuy, who led a resistance movement against British settlers, was eventually ambushed and shot by patrolmen.
His head is believed to have been placed in a jar and sent to England in the early 1800s, when William's ancestor King George III was on the throne. Its location is unknown.
Mundine said the skull's return would mark an important step forward for Australia's Aborigines, who have become downtrodden and marginalised since white settlement began in 1788.
"It all boils down to respect. We've got to really start respecting each other as human beings," he said. "I think to get the remains of the Pemulwuy head back here will start to heal the wounds a little bit."
The prince, who is second in line to the throne, received the request while visiting Sydney's inner-city Redfern area during his trip in January, which proved wildly popular with the Australian public.
"He's got his mother's spirit, his mother's love," said Mundine, referring to the late Princess Diana. "He doesn't look down on you -- even though he's a tall guy."
Copyright 2010 AFP European Edition
