Mungo Man: What to do next with Australia's oldest human remains | Australian Story (2018) 

Mungo man isn't the oldest, he is the oldest found.

I believe the same arguments are being made about human remains found in the Americas. It's a difficult one. I do think, to some degree, that such ancient humans are the ancestors of all of us, of humanity. So I think, on balance, the remains should be studied, because they are important to all of us. But I think before they are removed the local Aboriginals should be able to perform any ceremonies they deem necessary, and after the study, they should certainly be returned.

He spent 42,000 years getting to the surface .. Now they want to put him back

First time I went to Lake Mungo was as a kid in the 70’s. Been there a few times since. it’s an amazing place not just for the human story but also because it’s one of the last places that the Australian megafauna died out in after the vast inland sea dried out. Much like many other places I’ve been to in the outback, It’s got a definite ancient vibe to it. But the dunes and weird silicate formations there has always stuck with me. This was actually a great story. Well done. ABC at its best…

Thanks for the science mob for doing the right thing taking em back where it's resting ground and for learning the understanding of our culture good meaning now for our future to even discover more of our outback.

Now let's discuss the genetics

Its very moving that the remains where rightfully returned. How healing for all those attending. I just loved the science guy at the end imagining what the people who buried would have felt or thought of at Mungo mans return. His heart was in the right place. Beautiful and very sad too. Thanks ABC.

the most obvious place to put him to rest is back to where he was found in the first place as that was his burial place originally so why does there need to be deciding where to bury?

Beautiful story, Australian Story team. Great amount of history and a great deal of respect shown also. Cheers for the upload

I believe everything happens for a reason. Mungo man had something to tell us and I feel humbled by this story. Respect to all involved.

What I find interesting is that Mungo Man was estimated to be 6’5, he must have been a genuine giant when I’m guessing a little over 5ft was a good height

I am so proud to be indigenous. Mungo man was a king for indigenous peoples, & I hope he will be back at his resting place.

Wonderfull Mungo man ... came from our ancient past to teach us what once upon a time ... then you are twice again buried in your land... with all our ancestors

I dont like seeing them say my pepple, your people,.. We are all people and this mans history is my history too.. As an Australian i feel this is my history, history of my brothers and sisters

This is a wonderful record of peoples change of mind, getting scientific information and also having respect with a completely emotional and also a calm way from the Scientist that found him, and the original people of Australia. We have the Science and we have the respect and just as important, the scientist also felt that Mungo man, was almost sending a message, about the way they would proceed in the future. The First People of Australia understood what knowledge had been found directly, and how important it was and were respected accordingly, and the scientist felt he had been very much moved by their understanding. Cynthia Allen McLaglen

Tears rolling out, a wind of spirits in every pore of me.. A million salutations to the chief of cheiefs and the lady of Aboriginal humanity.. From India... 😍😍😍😍🙏🙏🙏🙏

It was such a heart-warming and beautiful story. Science and culture can co-exist

Everything happens for a reason.Spiritual ancestors await for that one the right one to come along to broaden the minds of many and for lessons to be learnt about bringing peace and harmony to all.

This even made me cry, I live in the Netherlands. Beautiful movie

I would likely have taken a very 'Pro science' view on ancient remains had I not had the privilege of visiting an Indigenous settlement in Arnhem Land that was comprehensively grave robbed in the 1930s by an American anthropologist. The remains were returned for burial in recent years but the raw pain of the young man who explained what happened was very real. This sort of argument wouldn't even arise without the history of stealing more recent bodies, and all their grave goods.

from about 5 minutes in this line from Hamlet went through my mind... there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies

Awesome report.

Mungo Man revealed himself to Professor Jim Bowler to teach the world about Aboriginal occupation in Australia. Mungo itself is one big museum.

It's important that science works in cooperation with all people, all groups, all cultures. And likewise, people should respect the benefits of science that we can gain and use to add to the story of human history, or the natural world. If worked together, it can benefit everyone and all sides can be respected. ❤️

Why are comments available in videos like this but not in stories like the ghosts of Timor? Why is ABC scared to allow comments in those stories but something less controversial has comments open?

I do not think it is a matter of right or wrong, just different. Most Europeans think that a body should be respected, but that Science can tell us so much, and what it can tell us grows year by year. If we did not do scientific research on our own ancestors, then It would be wrong.

Thanks for a wonderful video of a fascinating and engrossing subject.

Take a shot everytime they say, "Mongo Man", you'll be shit-faced, passed out on the floor long before the end of the program.

Did they do anything to prevent passing tourists or passerbys robbing those precious bones from the soil a second time?

If scientists hadn't found those bones.. they probably would have sat there and taken damage until they turned to dust and there was nothing left.... No one would have tried to preserve them. No one would have cared. And no one would have found out about how old they could have been. The scientists saved those remains. I'm sorry, but science is important. Understanding our origins is important.

Watch more Australian Story episodes over on our playlist 👉ru-vid.com/group/PLDTPrMoGHssDzqF7spxT_VH3Zd266tSEp

40000 years is a long time. Whos not to say those aboriginal people are as distant to mungo as whites are to them. Science should outrank Aboriginal opinion. Good luck to the people handling that delicate situation as we move forward and discover more. Anthropology, archaeology and the like is the story and property of ALL of us.

The Village People had a hit with their song "Mungo Man"

Mungo Man has a revelation, we are living in a complex time as we move into this new age/ion. In deed there is reason why Mungo Man revealed himself and he has bought a story for this new age. People should try to understand as the oldest culture on Earth we hold and have " story's", and story is everything. After all our lives are a story but story without reason and applied to memory is a story lost. Mungo Man has revived the culture and evoked the memory and song. His tribe will remember him after all he is in there bloodline, same blood same people as yesterday, today and tomorrow. He reminds us of our expression of LIFE and our " rite of passage" . It's a powerful message and not just bones.

OOPS !!! FORGOT THE MUNGO LADY !!! FROM U.K. (2022).

What a beautiful hope for science. Blessings to you all

I am going to stick my neck out here and ask, what is it about Australia the land, that people can be here for 40,000 years and yet not get out of the stone age. Every other continent had at least one culture develop cities, why not Australia. I do not mean that the Aborigines did not have the intelligence, they were and are just like any other group. So with just about every sort of environment available, why so little progress. If someone knows of a book or internet sight that explains this, please let me know.

Remains from Australia are particularly important to anthropology because of the period of time in which they lived. I don't know that everyone has come to the same conclusion but we are talking Ice Age, Neanderthals in Europe and Noah's flood. I don't believe everyone has thought this through enough. A look at the skulls of various humans from around the world and compared with our own it is so easy to see there is a much bigger story here.

I like the one lady's view of it, that Mungo man had to tell his story and chose someone. Yes, especially with today's tech allowing us to create a record of his remains that can be studied without him, he should be brought home. I understand the great difficulty in these cases of taking bodies from their home, it's the only way those stories can be told.

24/05/2022 We AUSTRALIANS should be proud that our land has been inhabited for up to 100,000 years; TBA?. Yes, they are a Indigenous people and it is part of history. To return the bones to their traditional land after research is a no brainer. The "locals" should be part of the research and acknowledgment of their own history. Further research needs to be done where necessary as it is HUMAN history without research our knowledge in limited.

Fantastic result, and shows what can be achieved when yu work in co operation with each other. Since I first went to Lake mungo in the mid 80s, I have always been struck by the thought, that a couple of old bones from Australia, has disputde and challenged the accepted scienific narrative of human migration and development. An anthropology lecturer of mine once said, today's youbeaut theory, is only as good as tomorow 's next big discovery. I wonder if Lake mungo still has secrets to give up.

When talking about a society that lived 40-50,000 years ago.. a good percentage of the population of the world today are probably related somehow to them So at what point is this OUR history Human history Not the sole custody of indigenous people of today ? This whole idea of indigenous ownership of the land is odd to me On the one hand we are told all people are equal But also told indigenous are special because they were here first so they own the land even though the concept of land ownership didn’t exist to them n different groups took land from each other for tens of thousands of years Society, country, economics, technology All these things grew by our combined effort as humans We all benefit from our society that grew from our ancient ancestors Or am I a bigot... I don’t know anymore Indigenous history is fascinating to me, I’m totally on board with protecting it and discovering and documenting everything we can while we can So much of ancient human history is lost.... it’s important for every race of people to know our combined history

SUPER GREAT LOVELY STORY FROM U.K. (2022).

Isn't it just as likely that the dead would love to get out of the ground, do a bit of travelling? Personally I'd love it. I don't wanna disappear into the dirt forever. I'd rather be a skull on a mantle piece honestly 💁

So emotional 💚

Mungo man and women had different DNA

I think the land eroded and exposed the body. Nothing else happened and there are no fairies 🧚‍♀️

Why i never heard about Mungoman!

Mungo was an integral part of Blazing Saddles ...

LAKE MUNGO BROUGHT ME HERE 🔥🔥🔥

Yeah, the Africans should be up in arms about Lucy, crying and making stuff up about hurt feelings and freeing her spirit to walk the lands, what a crock.

Why don't they talk about it the foot prints they found

What is the track on the background? 12:36? sounds super familiar..

I love this.

Nature Bless All 😇☝️

Ahhhh Steve Webb, did wonder if he would pop up on this 👌

GOD HAS GOT YOU ALWAYS MY SISTER & BROTHER .., YOUR BOTH VERY VEERY PRECIOUS & REFLECT GODS NATURE PERFECTLY I'AM TRUELY SO THANKFUL & GREATFUL THAT GOD HASN'T FORGOTTEN HIS PRECIOUS LITTLE CHILDRENS ... GODBLESS YOU SO SOOO MUCH MY HEAVENLY SISTER + BRUHZ .... AMEN AMEN 🌈🌻🦆🐾🥊👣🦆🌻🌈

AMEN

MUNGO MAN BY LAKE MUNGO -- AUSTRALIAN HISTORY INDEED !!! HUMANS HAVE TRAVELLED ALL AROUND THE WORLD . THANKS !! FROM U.K. (2022).

My parents both died in 2012. If you want to pull their skeletons out of their coffins and examine them, go for it.

A lot of importance is put on the fact that the land of Australia is rightfully owned by Aboriginals and and how important their culture is too their people. But whilst they are doing this they neglect the problems of those Aboriginal children wandering the streets at night with many missing out on just having a safe home they go back home to. So it sickens me that these people are so worried about the bones of a man that died so long ago and yet their children , who are their future, are left to struggle on alone. I am sorry but whilst they live in the past they are losing their future. They need to put the past in it's place and look at those around them who are alive today and concern themselves with the Aboriginals of today. Who knows maybe Mungo Man clawed his way up from the grave as a warning regarding the future of Aboriginal people and their children.

❤️👍🏽

So is he buried or not?

No matter what the white man does it will always be wrong.

I just watched the video where Mongol man was returned to his people. I believe this is the only right thing to do. we…. The people the European, some Asian and the European American have very short memories. We have no connection to our ancestors. There are people that have a long memory, and they have great passion and love for those that came before them because without them they would not be here. Time is not linear for them, it just is. There are people who live with all the divisions between the spiritual and daily life it is one in the same. This does not mean science cannot study the ancestors of people who love not only their mothers, fathers but the ancestors because to them they are their mother and their father as well. Asking permission is everything, respecting the bones is symbolic of respecting the ancestor life, and most of all assuring them that they will return the bones in a prearranged specific time. And then when they are returned, returned with the same respect as they were well they’re originally relayed to rest, found again, and their descendants we’re give them time to honor their ancestor, and if they agree to the agreement with the scientists and biologists and anthropologist, they are transported to a location, agreed-upon for a period of time. their ancestor, will live again, by giving them knowledge, confirming what they already knew, and the biologists, scientists, and anthropologist did not know. Therefore, it doubles the importance of when they are returned that we must be grateful for the ancestor and The present generation that came from them.

Why not preserving the remains in the place itself without moving it? It can ve done if wanted…

money corrupts everyone

Credit the guitarist?

Why apologise that’s is crazy..! Your crying over mungo man and you don’t know anything about him.. This earlier study was interpreted as evidence that Aboriginal people were not the first Australians, and that Mungo Man represented an extinct lineage of modern humans that occupied the continent before Aboriginal Australians

Unpopular opinion: These aboriginal people would take your house and land under your feet at the slightest notion of an aboriginal being buried there. I find it honestly ridiculous that the aboriginal people are trying to claim a skeleton buried 25,000, 32k, 45k years ago as one of their ancestors. Lets be honest, anyone living now, or a few hundreds of years ago would not have the faintest relation to this person. The customs (if they had any) when this person died would not be anything similar to what is present now, so what you're doing is only making yourself feel better. Everything in this video about Mungo man is completely assumptious, these people don't know shi.t

A great story. the only problematic area is that of research. New finds are occurring in Aboriginal lands, and their policy is to leave the dead to rest in peace. In other words, no research is being done on these new finds.

Give them all back 🇦🇺💗👏👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I’m a mungo man

And Mungo man is not Aboriginal, as they claim. His DNA is different, he was here as were his ancestors before Aborigines

Some people died and were covered by nature's actions, simply drowned in the Lake and preserved by nature? it happened, to easy to get carried away it, like to much being read into this! Be interesting to see if 2022 could get a DNA sample

Mungo Man was without doubt a Briton from the Atlantean Civilisation. 😊👍🇬🇧

The Mungo Man DNA does not match modern Aboriginal DNA, and falls outside acceptable variance due to time. Therefore, it is possible that modern Aboriginals actually wiped out the Mungo race. Rather ironic.....

Australia's history of human occupation is more about politics than scientific exploration of the human experience and spread around the world wide

Peaches , mungo, peaches

there is something off with the history taught about my peoples,I know we was a nation before Cooke,the Dutch and Germans was black men when they came ere,now they wyte,wtf is going on

ABC used the video clip of the dance of the naval ship trial operation ceremony Dance Troupe for deceptive editing, and the video clip cut into the absent guests at that time and shot it from an angle invisible to the audience. At the same time, the video is suspected of discrediting women, reflecting ABC's camera operators and their sexualization of these women and their dance works to meet their own needs.

This isn't going anywhere, nobody knew about any of these people, still don't, the people can not even prove a connection to these people, use this as a learning tool, a chance you never had to know as fact/proof.

Check his DNA. He was not Aboriginals Anthropologists are not game to say forr fear of cancellation.

How much money did they get in reparations?

look at peking man found in china. no cared to buried him back, science came first. you dont know mungo man personelly, so keep him so mankind can learn more. i think these people are dumb, cause you have a chance to move forward but choose to go backwards like this dark bush people. these chinese were 10000X smarter, theey choose to gain from peking and better humans' wisdom via science.

I have heard there is growing evidence that humans originated from Australia, NOT Africa as is currently the popular belief & the indigenous peoples of Australia seem to agree with that narrative & I felt a slight twang of “get f$&ked” when it was suggested these remains belonged exclusively to the contemporary indigenous community, coz NO. They MY ancestors too & feel quite offended that these people have the arrogance & ignorance to suggest otherwise. I am just as much a human as they, & I was born here too. My 5 children all have recognised indigenous heritage so please don’t go throwing any racist throp my way because I don’t see ANY difference. Some are born with a little more colouration in their pigments, but that shouldn’t automatically make them as belonging to any other people. We are ALL human & this crap about race everyone is so keen on referring to makes me really really angry sometimes. I have blonde hair, Jack has brown & Olivia has red. I met a pair of twins once, the male had very very dark skin, blue eyes & black hair. His sister’s skin was so pale it was almost blue, with flaming red hair & the truest green eyes I’ve ever seen in my life. They looked like they were from opposite ends of the planet but they were born from the same womb (the pale female born mere minutes before her dark skinned brother). This greatly changed my perception of race & human identity, it was undeniable proof we were all one & the same. I have seen native Asian, African & Australian people with Down syndrome & dwarfism, these genetic differences aren’t influenced by race? Adhd, depression, schizophrenia, addiction etc etc… None of these illnesses care about the colour of hair, eyes or skin. Maybe one day the rest of humanity will recognise this, but I doubt it. The majority are too ignorant to understand & too arrogant to accept they are no different than anyone else, the colour of their skin doesn’t make them special. I sincerely hope to be proven wrong.

Mungo man was not aboriginal this was proven through DNA by scientists

hi

True indigenous people. Unlike the Maori in New Zealand

COMPARE D.N.A. from a Tasmanian Aboriginal, PLEASE , Or lose the real truth.

These remains are not of the modern aboriginals. The forehead looked different and the brows? This was early man, australopithecus perhaps.

Found to be Genetically different ,to those claiming all sorts of connections......really ..don't let the truth destroy a good story

That lady has no clue about anything about this human remains lol. This is like me saying what happened with all the fossils found in Iberia just because I was born in Spain

this was mid

Drongo man

Mungo man reburial

Is this the same type of human as the tall light skinned red haired race that also lived in New Zealand before the Maori arrived and gradually exterminated them?

Ha ha, "getting him back on country". Yes, before more scientific work can be done to show he was a different race of people to the current Aboriginal newcomers.

Pretty damn cool to have living ancestors descendants after how many years!! Not many people can say that’s true! Bless the First Nations people of Australia

now.....prove it's an aboriginal