The effects of repatriation on the relationship between the Glenbow Museum and the Blackfoot people

Institutional Readiness for Community– University Alliances

“…Alongside of a lack of legal instruments to compel the return of belongings, general policy frameworks for repatriation of belongings from Canadian universities and museums remain largely situational (Bourgeois 2021), though some collaborative repatriation projects have been able to compensate for the lack of guiding policies (e.g. as described by Conaty 2008;Rowley and Hausler 2007;Schaepe and Campion 2007). The lack is particularly stark in the case of universities: in a survey (Bourgeois 2021) of 44 universities in Canada (41 of which have anthropology departments), only three were found to have publicly accessible repatriation policy documents (viz.…”

Challenging the “Love of Possessions”: Repatriation of Sacred Objects in the United States and Canada

“…With respect to sacred medicine bundles repatriated to the Blackfoot (one of the first high-profile repatriations to have occurred in Canada), "bundles which are not celebrated each year, such as those in museum collections, represent a break in the communication line; a break in the history of Niitsitapi, and a break in the spiritual and ecological balance of the Niitsitapi world. " 19 Reestablishing connections and practices has arguably been the most valuable aspect of repatriation and has assisted in accessing lost traditions, ceremonies, and languages as well as invoking pride and confidence in communities that recover sacred objects. Lonetree describes how the Saginaw Chippewa tribe integrated reclaimed sacred objects into the cultural center, allowing people who had lost their languages, traditions, cultures, and religions as a result of assimilation policies and boarding schools to release the shame of loss.…”

“…The legislation stemmed from negotiations between members of the Blackfoot Nation in Alberta and staff of the Glenbow Museum in Calgary for repatriation of sacred medicine bundles. 61 The medicine bundles were on display as part of the highly controversial Spirit Sings exhibit at the Glenbow Museum during the 1988 Olympic Games. Much of the controversy was generated by the Lubicon Cree, who had attempted for many years to negotiate a land treaty with Alberta, though by 1988 negotiations had stalled.…”

Tshiheu

“…Son étude s'inscrit au sein de démarches qui visent à développer de plus nombreuses collaborations entre les musées et les communautés autochtones. Ces approches remettent notamment en question l'auto rité muséographique et anthropologique quant à la gestion de la propriété, de l'interprétation et de la représentation de l'héritage culturel autochtone (Ames 1992 ;Simpson 2001 ;Peers et Brown 2003 ;Gabriel et Dahl 2008 ;Conaty 2008).…”