Major museums across the world are being approached by Indigenous communities for the return of Ancestral remains and other cultural property. Apart from a very small number of specialists, many museum professionals, in particular senior decision makers, have limited knowledge of the actual collections they hold and the cultural significance of those objects, both in the past, the present, and into the future. They thus apply limited and restricted criteria in assessing the merits of an application for repatriation. This paper discusses some of the forms of affiliation that enable Australian First Nations peoples to claim rights of affiliation and authority in Ancestral Remains and other cultural materials. It argues that there are many forms of affiliation and bestowal of rights and authority that legitimise First Nations claims to interests in Ancestral Remains and cultural heritage.