After the return of a grizzly bear totem pole to the community earlier this year, a Gitxaala Nation delegation went to Harvard last month, where the where the totem had previously resided for over a century.
The delegation of seven people – including an elder, a representative of the clan, fluent speakers of the sm’algyax language, as well as representatives of the drum and dance group from the village – went to the Peabody Museum in Massachusetts from May 9-17.
Ayaawx (the cultural traditions and law) lead the group on the trek after the the Grizzly Bear totem pole was repatriated to the village.
After the stop at Harvard, there were other visits along the way such as Brooklyn Museum in New York, the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Dartmouth Hood Museum in New Hampshire. These visits were also, in part, to research items of interest of re-patriation for the Village of Gitxaala.
With more cultural items being returned to the community, the hopes are to build a museum longhouse in the village and house all item in one place and strengthen the cultural heritage for future generations, according to Dustin Johnson, Gitxaala Nation culture and language program manager.
On National Indigenous Peoples Day, one item of particular interest from the Canadian Museum of Natural History will be in the village: a stone mask. The mask will be back at the village for a two day visit June 21-22 and there will be a blessing and feast for the nation.
Listen to the CFNR interview with Dustin Johnson below about the delegation:
