‘Stolen’ totem pole to be returned
Scotland is to return a historic totem pole alleged to have been stolen from a village in what is now British-columbia in Canada nearly a century ago.
Bosses running Scotland’s busiest visitor attraction have agreedtothemoveafterhosting talksontheartefactwithadelegationofnisga’anationleaders.
The House of Ni'isjoohl Memorialpole,whichhasbeen ondisplayinthenationalmuseum of Scotland (NMS) in Edinburgh since 1930, tells the story ofts’wawit–awarriorwhowas next in line to be chief before being killed in a conflict with a neighbouring nation.
It will become only the second totem pole to be repatriated from a European museum to Canada after National Museums Scotland, which runs the attraction, and the Scottish Government agreed to a formal request.
The House of Ni’isjoohl is one of about 50 houses within the Nisga’a Nation, the original occupants of the Nass River Valley of north-western British Columbia. Dating back to 1855, the memorial pole was carved from red cedar by artist Oyea Tait and his assistant carver Gwanes.
Depictingaseriesofinterlocking figures relating to Ts’aawit's family history through his ancestors,familycrests,andhis clan, it originally stood in front of the house of Ts’aawit's relatives in Ank’idaa village on the Nass River.
When the Nisga’a Nation delegation visited Edinburgh in August, it was claimed the memorial pole had been “stolen” by ethnographer and anthropologist Marius Barbeau, a curator at the National Museum of Canada, in 1929.
A spokesman for the Nisga’a Nation said at the time: “The pole was taken without the consent of the House of Ni’isjoohl, during a period when the
Nisga’apeopleswereawayfrom their villages for the annual hunting, fishing, and food harvesting season.”
NMS’S announcement on the return of the memorial pole insists that Barbeau purchased it from its Nisga’a owners on behalf of the then Royal Museum of Scotland.
However NMS director Dr Chris Breward said: “We’re committed to promoting understanding and dialogue with respect to those parts of our collection associated with our nation’s colonial history
and its difficult legacies. We’re pleased to have reached this agreement and to be able to transfer the memorial pole to itspeopleandtotheplacewhere itsspiritualsignificanceismost keenly understood.”
Sim'oogit Ni'ijoohl (Chief Earl Stephens) of the Nisga’a Nation said: "In Nisga’a culture, we believe this pole is alive with the spirit of our ancestor. After nearly 100 years, we’re finally able to bring our dear relative home to rest on Nisga’a lands.
"In means so much for us to have the pole returned to us,
so we can connect our family, nation and our future generations with our living history."
Culture secretary Angus Robertsonsaid:“iwelcomethedecision to return the memorial pole to its place of origin. It follows a deeply moving recent meeting with the Nisga’a delegation when they came to Scotland to explain the huge importanceofthepoletotheirculture, people and community.
“I would like to thank the board.”