Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
In 1990, the Glenbow Museum took its first tentative steps toward repatriation by returning sacred objects to First Nations? peoples. These efforts drew harsh criticism from members of the provincial government. Was it not the museum's primary legal, ethical, and fiduciary responsibility to ensure the physical preservation of its collections? Undaunted by such criticism, more than fifty medicine bundles were returned to Blackfoot and Cree communities between the years of 1990 and 2000, at which time the First Nations Sacred Ceremonial Objects Repatriation Act (FNSCORA) ? still the only repatriation legislation in Canada ? was passed.?We Are Coming Home ? is the story of the highly complex process of repatriation as described by those intimately involved in the work, notably the Piikuni, Siksika, and Kainai elders who provided essential oversight and guidance and Gerald Conaty, senior curator at the museum.
Synopsis
"We Are Coming Home " is the story of the highly complex process of repatriation as described by those intimately involved in the work, notably the Piikuni, Siksika, and Kainai elders who provided essential oversight and guidance. We also hear from the Glenbow Museum's president and CEO at the time and from an archaeologist then employed at the Provincial Museum of Alberta who provides an insider's view of the drafting of FNSCORA. These accounts are framed by Conaty's reflections on the impact of museums on First Nations, on the history and culture of the Niitsitapi, or Blackfoot, and on the path forward. With Conaty's passing in August of 2013, this book is also a tribute to his enduring relationships with the Blackfoot, to his rich and exemplary career, and to his commitment to innovation and mindful museum practice.