A pair of new reports is shedding light on just how much cultural history is still waiting to come home to B.C. First Nations communities.
The research, commissioned by the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC), found that more than 2,500 Ancestors and over 100,000 cultural Belongings originating from B.C. are currently held in 229 institutions around the world.
The first report, From Stealing to Healing: Repatriation and B.C. First Nations, was researched and written by K’yuu Enterprise Corporation, a Haida-owned consulting firm. It traces more than a century of history and includes case studies from 16 Nations, including Gitxaała Nation on the North Coast.
Gitxaała’s Dustin Johnson, who manages the Nation’s Language & Culture Department, said the return of a sacred totem pole in April 2023 was a turning point.
“The return of a sacred totem pole in April 2023 marked Gitxaała Nation’s first-ever repatriation, bringing people together in a way not seen in years,” Johnson said, adding that two Ancestral Remains were also laid to rest according to traditional protocols.
A second report, the Repatriation Cost Analysis, offers communities a practical tool for budgeting repatriation work, based on real costs shared by First Nations across the province.
FPCC CEO Tracey Herbert said the findings show repatriation is both a moral responsibility and an achievable goal, one that depends on funding and policy support.
Both reports were funded by the Province of B.C. through the First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation.
