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Inside the Longhouse

Haida Ancestors Finally Buried At Home

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[quote][i]Originally posted by Bea[/i]
[br]SKIDEGATE, B.C. - After a century of sitting in boxes on
                the shelves of the American Museum of Natural History
                in New York , the remains of 48 Haida ancestors have
                finally been laid to rest in their homeland. The
                ceremonial burial took place Thursday in the Queen
                Charlotte Islands.

INDEPTH: Aboriginal Canadians

It's the first time Haida remains have been repatriated
                from another country, but there are still many skeletal
                remains in private collections and museums around the
                world.

Haida chiefs say all the ancestors must be brought
                home, even though there are still some institutions that
                are refusing to give them up.

No one knows the names of the ancestors. The museum
                only kept track of the villages they came from and
                where they were dug up.

It was over a hundred years ago that the graves were
                dug up and robbed. In theory the bones were to be
                studied by scientists, but the president of the Haida
                Nation, Guujaaw, says that for years the bones have
                sat in boxes and plastic bags on dusty museum shelves.

So far, bones have been repatriated from museums on
                Ottawa and British Columbia, and now New York.

Discussions are being held with museum curators in
                Chicago where there are the remains of 148 ancestors
                and Washington, D.C., where there are seven.

But Chief Johnny Williams says the biggest struggle is
                with officials in London, England.

"Right now the Metropolitan Museum of London is the
                only one who says it's against the law to return any of
                their exhibits."

The Haida Nation says it will continue to bring all
                ancestors home no matter what the cost, or how much
                time it takes.

Written by CBC News Online staff

[/quote]

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T O P I C R E V I E W
Bea	Posted - September 28 2002 : 11:52:46 PM SKIDEGATE, B.C. - After a century of sitting in boxes on the shelves of the American Museum of Natural History in New York , the remains of 48 Haida ancestors have finally been laid to rest in their homeland. The ceremonial burial took place Thursday in the Queen Charlotte Islands. INDEPTH: Aboriginal Canadians It's the first time Haida remains have been repatriated from another country, but there are still many skeletal remains in private collections and museums around the world. Haida chiefs say all the ancestors must be brought home, even though there are still some institutions that are refusing to give them up. No one knows the names of the ancestors. The museum only kept track of the villages they came from and where they were dug up. It was over a hundred years ago that the graves were dug up and robbed. In theory the bones were to be studied by scientists, but the president of the Haida Nation, Guujaaw, says that for years the bones have sat in boxes and plastic bags on dusty museum shelves. So far, bones have been repatriated from museums on Ottawa and British Columbia, and now New York. Discussions are being held with museum curators in Chicago where there are the remains of 148 ancestors and Washington, D.C., where there are seven. But Chief Johnny Williams says the biggest struggle is with officials in London, England. "Right now the Metropolitan Museum of London is the only one who says it's against the law to return any of their exhibits." The Haida Nation says it will continue to bring all ancestors home no matter what the cost, or how much time it takes. Written by CBC News Online staff
8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Bea	Posted - October 02 2002 : 8:57:20 PM Okay, after browsing through uncountable websites in search of Haida burial rituals, I have finally hit the jackpot:http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/archeo/emercury/9.htm
Bea	Posted - October 02 2002 : 10:18:06 AM I am also not aware of Haida burial ceremonies.The only thing I remember seeing on TV is that the bodies were being put inside a tree. I can see that some objects may have been saved ( I'd like to know from whom though?) but of course there is no excuse for holding on to any human remains.
Adele	Posted - October 02 2002 : 05:04:26 AM quote: Originally posted by Bea: Thanks for your input, Adele! Looks like the rules are pretty stringent and may need some loosening..All within good measure, of course. Our Provincial Museum here in Edmonton had to be less stringent as our Aboriginal leaders are becoming more outspoken and rightly so. In our case it concerned sacred bundles..I personally believe that all human remains should be returned.Why should thye be in a museum??? Disgusting.. Well I could be wrong on this...but I think I read something about the Haida remains having something to do with a one-of-a-kind burial mask....but I may possibly be confusing this with another news story. The British Museum argues that they have saved a great deal of heritage through careful preservation...items which would most likely have been destroyed without their intervention. However, one would hope that the issue of human remains would be tackled in a more sensitive manner. HM
Bea	Posted - October 01 2002 : 09:30:52 AM Thanks for your input, Adele! Looks like the rules are pretty stringent and may need some loosening..All within good measure, of course. Our Provincial Museum here in Edmonton had to be less stringent as our Aboriginal leaders are becoming more outspoken and rightly so. In our case it concerned sacred bundles..I personally believe that all human remains should be returned.Why should thye be in a museum??? Disgusting..
Adele	Posted - October 01 2002 : 03:33:35 AM That sounds about right Bea...British museums have a history of not wanting to give anything back once they have them. Elgins Marbles are a good example! There is in fact a act of British law that protects the British Museum from being forced to return any of its 'possessions', and it is assumed, that whilst the Haida remains are probably not of great consequence to the British Museum, if they SHOULD return them, it will open the floodgates for other countries and cultures to campaign for the return of their artifacts. HM
Bea	Posted - September 30 2002 : 2:25:00 PM yes, Theresa, it must be awful for the relatives and I hope and pray that they can cut through the red tape asap. But at least something happened and it's a step in the right direction. I am pretty sure that other Indian nations probably have to contend with the same problem.How awful! And yes, Brenda, you described Chretien's mind set perfectly..I guess it is Kyoto or nothing..Sigh.. Edited by - bea on September 30 2002 2:30:37 PM
Brenda	Posted - September 29 2002 : 11:05:58 PM WOW, how interesting! It's really too bad that our government doesn't help ... but I suppose that if it's not a "legacy" event in Chretien's mind, nothing will happen. “They say that you're never as wise as when you're a child. We'll never think that clearly again.” From Arlington Road (1999)
Theresa	Posted - September 29 2002 : 4:34:38 PM Oh, Bea. This is both wonderful and sad news. I cannot imagine how I would feel if I knew that ancestors of mine were stuffed in boxes and shelved somewhere. Theresa

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