Hundreds gathered in Laxgalts’ap last Friday to welcome home a stolen totem pole taken from Nisga’a territory nearly a century ago.
A rematriation ceremony was held by the Nation and Wilps Ni’isjoohl as the house pole made its return two-decades after it was re-discovered.
Originally carved in the 1860s, the Ni’isjoohl Memorial Pole was stolen and sold to the National Museum of Scotland in 1929.
Nation members worked to bring the pole home for years to no avail, but last year the Museum finally agreed to work with them to have it returned.
It landed back in the Northwest last week as part of a journey Nisga’a Lisims President Eva Clayton calls truth and reconciliation in action.
She also says the return of the pole is the first of many, as the Nation works to bring home other artifacts held in museums globally.
Premier David Eby, Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, and MP Taylor Bachrach were among the government officials on hand for Friday’s ceremony.
The Ni’isjoohl Memorial Pole tells the story of the warrior Ts’wawit, who was next in line to become Chief when he was killed in battle.
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