Over 60 ancestral belongings have been returned to Tŝilhqot’in territory in British Columbia through a partnership between the Tŝilhqot’in National Government and the Museum of Vancouver. This round of repatriation is the culmination of a long process, and the repatriated items are much more than artifacts to the Tŝilhqot’in people.
Sharon Fortney, the Senior Curator of Indigenous Collections at the Museum of Vancouver, says that repatriation of artifacts is a key part of the Museum’s mission, representing a shift in philosophy for this and other museums with collections of indigenous artifacts.
Many of the items returned to Tŝilhqot’in custody can now be viewed at the Tŝilhqot’in National Government Dasiqox office in Williams Lake, and the Tŝilhqot’in National Government and the Museum of Vancouver will continue their partnership by developing an exhibit showcasing the process as an example of successful collaboration surrounding the repatriation of ancestral belongings.“Celebrating Tsilhqot’in Repatriation” will be part of an exhibition titled, The Work of Repair: Redress and Repatriation at MoV, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2025.
