The BCMA calls upon all publicly-funded institutions to repatriate ancestral human remains and burial items.

For Immediate Release

Repatriation Call to Action: On International Museums Day the BC Museums Association (BCMA) Calls Upon All Publicly-Funded Institutions to Repatriate Ancestral Human Remains and Burial Items

May 18, 2021

Throughout the history of Canada, Indigenous peoples have had their belongings, language, culture, and even ancestors taken from them and housed in museums, universities, and private collections around the world. These actions have been enabled and sustained by legislation adopted to enforce colonial rule. The ancestral remains of thousands continue to be found in institutions and facilities across the county – the grandparents and great-grandparents of living Indigenous people.

The BC Museums Association (BCMA) calls upon all publicly funded institutions in Canada to take this critical step in reconciliation, and work collaboratively with Indigenous Nations to repatriate their ancestors’ remains.

Dan Smith, former chair of the BCMA Indigenous Advisory Committee and a member of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation in Campbell River, stated that “True, meaningful and lasting reconciliation must include the return of our ancestors back to the Nations where they were taken from. We must work together to realize this, and in doing so free our children and their children from the sacred obligation we have for finding our ancestors and bringing them home.”

This initiative has been led by decades of work already undertaken by Indigenous communities and leaders throughout the country. We encourage institutions to support the continuation of these efforts towards reconciliation by aiding the repatriation of ancestors in accordance with Article 31 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the recommendations held in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action.

“We have an amazing opportunity to work towards making things right between hundreds of First Nations in Canada and the culture and heritage sector who currently steward their material culture. This should not be a difficult decision nor cumbersome process. The ancestors are waiting to go home and we should do everything in our power to make that happen” said Jodi Simkin, President of the BCMA.

The scope of this work should include all ancestral remains and related funerary objects within all collections regardless of whether provenance to specific Nations has been identified. The power of deciding who will accept ancestral remains lies with the Indigenous communities from the traditional territories from which they were removed, not the colonial institutions who currently possess them.

“Museums and Indigenous communities have had a difficult history, but I am hopeful that this is changing,” said Jordan Coble (c̓ris), chair of the BCMA Indigenous Advisory Committee and Councillor, Westbank First Nation. “We have a long way to go, but taking this vital step puts us on a path that sets a bright future for all peoples, for all relationships, Indigenous, non-Indigenous.”

The BCMA encourages all publicly-funded institutions to support repatriation initiatives. Institutions must be prepared to take action – this includes adequate budgeting for repatriation work, building relationships with Indigenous communities and learning how to support repatriation practices and, ensuring information about collections is accessible to communities. Institutions should create a transparent and responsive process that removes as many barriers as possible, empowering both the staff and Indigenous communities to act swiftly and respectfully to requests for ancestral repatriation, setting a standard of readiness and willingness to be an ally in this process.

The full Repatriation Call to Action pledge and resources to support museums in taking action can be found on the BCMA’s website: https://museum.bc.ca/repatriation-call-to-action/

Contact:

Ryan Hunt

Executive Director, BC Museums Association

executivedirector@museum.bc.ca

250.884.0499