Chief Poundmaker’s pipe, saddle bag returned from ROM to family
Descendants are required to initiate, lead repatriation
Century old artifacts belonging to a 19th century Plains Cree chief who was known as a peacekeeper were returned to his descendants in a repatriation ceremony this week at the Royal Ontario Museum.
The Toronto-based museum transferred a ceremonial pipe and a saddle bag that belonged to Chief Poundmaker back to members of his family on Wednesday.
Pauline Poundmaker, or Brown Bear Woman, has been leading efforts to repatriate her great-greatgrandfather’s belongings and sacred objects from collections held in Canada and internationally.
“It’s an honour to be the generation that’s able to bring these artifacts home,” she said in a phone interview.
Under Poundmaker Cree Nation laws, descendants are required to initiate and lead repatriation.
Pauline Poundmaker travelled this week from Saskatchewan to Toronto with nine others, including other direct descendants, to partake in a repatriation ceremony with staff at the museum.
It was the first time she got to see the two items in person. The special moment was sacred and emotional, she said.
“I had a moment there where I couldn’t hold back the tears. The significance of being here and the honour it is to be able to bring these artifacts home. It’s hard to describe.”
Wednesday’s event included First Nations drumming and dancing as well as prayers from local Cree elders. The family spoke of the significance of Poundmaker’s contributions to present-day Canada.
Valerie Huaco, deputy director of collections and research and chief innovation officer, said the museum has been doing repatriation work for 40 years but this event was unique because it was done with an audience at the request of the Poundmaker family.
“We want these events to be guided by the wishes of the nation,” she said in a phone interview following the ceremony.
The museum acquired the two items nearly a century ago. The saddle bag is made out of tan hide and adorned with beads in colours ranging from red, yellow and green. The museum said the item was sold to them in 1924.
The ceremonial pipe is dark in colour and made out of ceramic or stone. Like many First Nations customs objects used in ceremony, the pipe cannot be photographed. The museum received it in 1936.
The family has been working with the museum since September 2022 on how best to return the items.
The museum provided special packaging and carrying cases to ensure objects are safely transported. In some cases, museum employees may offer recommendations for how something can be stored or exhibited, but what is done with the items afterwards is entirely up to each individual community, said Huaco.
“Repatriation means genuinely turning these objects back over to the ownership of originating nation, which means that the museum doesn’t dictate anything about the future care or display.”
Huaco added there has been a steady increase in repatriation requests, with the museum averaging about 20 requests per year.