Repatriation

Call to Action #67

67. We call upon the federal government to provide funding to the Canadian Museums Association to undertake, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, a national review of museum policies and best practices to determine the level of compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to make recommendations.

(https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1524504831027/1557513782811) 

So what does this mean?

"The repatriation of cultural artifacts from museums to Indigenous Nations/Peoples is an emotional and controversial issue for many Indigenous Canadians. For hundreds of years, settler Canadians stole millions of Indigenous artifacts from their native territories, and these artifacts now reside in museums around the world. As of 2019, Canadian Heritage Institutions (such as the Canadian Museum of History, the Royal BC Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum) possess approximately 6.5 million cultural artifacts and 2000 ancestral remains (1). While individual museums at the local, provincial, and national levels have official policies and procedures with regard to the repatriation of these artifacts, there is no official national policy or oversight of the repatriation process. Currently, the federal government is beginning to address this lack of policy.

The government’s willingness to devote time and resources to the repatriation of artifacts was prompted by the 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). These calls to action were created to “redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian Reconciliation" (2). While the government still needs to address many of the Commission’s concerns, they are formulating a plan with regards to the 67th call to action, which calls “upon the federal government to provide funding to the Canadian Museums Association to undertake, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, a national review of museum policies and best practices”"

(Mackenzie, Charlotte. (2020, Nov. 18). The 67th Call to Action and the Repatriation of Indigenous Cultural Artifacts. In Kroeger Policy Review.https://www.kroegerpolicyreview.com/post/the-67th-call-to-action-and-the-repatriation-of-indigenous-cultural-artifacts)

Video- Historica Canada - Ep 4 Oral History - Voices from Here (13:05)

In this interview, Richard Hill shares about the complexities of Haudenosaunee territory, wampum belt teachings, and his work to repatriate material culture to his community.