Stolen totem pole formally welcomed home to Nisga'a territory after nearly a century in Scottish museum

The Nisga'a Nation has finally brought its family history home, almost 100 years after a totem pole was stolen and sold to Scotland's National Museum.

The return of the pole was celebrated with a ceremony, attended by about 400 people, at the Nisga'a Museum in Laxgalts'ap, a village northwest of Terrace, B.C.

The pole remained in a crate in a Nisga'a hall, while children laid cedar boughs at its feet. The totem will be erected later in the week for display.

The pole was taken without the nation's consent in 1929 by colonial ethnographer Marius Barbeau, who then sold it to the Scottish museum.

WATCH | The totem pole arrives home:

Stolen Nisga'a totem pole welcomed back home

11 months ago

Duration 2:52

A ceremony was held to welcome the return of a totem pole to Nisga'a territory, nearly a century after it was stolen and sold to a Scottish museum.

In a statement,the Nisga'a said the pole"represents a chapter of the Peoples' cultural sovereigntyand is a living constitutional and visual record."

It said Barbeau took the pole without the consent of the House of Ni'isjoohlone of around 50 houses within the Nisga'a Nation during a period when theNisga'a Peoples were away from their villages for the annual hunting, fishingand harvesting season.

Many Nisga'a wore their bright red and black regalia at Friday's ceremony, while others wore wolf pelts or dressed as bears to represent their house names.

Premier David Eby thanked the Nisga'a people for showing leadership and the way forward for other First Nations.

"It's an inspirational day for all of us,'' he said. "It's a true sign of reconciliation in action."

The negotiations overthe rematriation of the pole have taken a year. A Nisga'a delegationtravelled to Scotlandto ask for its return in August 2022, and the museum's board of trusteesapproved the planlater that year.

The nation uses the term "rematriation" instead of "repatriation" because it is a matrilineal community that is, based on kinship with the mother's line.

A lost relative

The Ni'isjoohl memorial poleis a house pole that was carved and erected in the 1860s. It tells the story of Ts'wawit, a warrior who was nextin line to be chief before he was killed in a conflict with a neighbouring nation.

Noxs Ts'aawit (Dr. AmyParent), a member of the nation and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous education and governance, first discovered the memorial pole was in Scotland four years ago. She said her ancestralgrandmother had the pole carved and erected in honour of Ts'wawit.

"We know that a carver breatheslife into a pole when it isfirst carved. And so after that point we consider that totem poleto have a living spirit in it and to be a relative. And so it's like bringing a family member home after being gone for almost 100 years," she said.

"It's very significant to have this reunion, and to have this return."

Parent was among the delegation that travelled to Scotland to view the memorial pole, and described the emotional moments when she saw it for the first time.

"We could actually feel the pole let out a sigh of relief when we walked into the room and that was the first time I've ever felt a totem pole and could just feel like the room was moving with us."

A long road home

The pole began its journey in late August, travelling in the belly of a Canadian military aircraft.

While the Scottish museum initially planned to transport the 11-metre pole by ship, Parent said she felt moving it by plane would reduce the risk of damage.

Eva Clayton, elected president of theNisga'aNation, said the day will be one of mixed emotions, and will be an educational opportunity for the Nisga'a youth.

"It's one of joy, one of happiness, and one that brings tears to one's eyes becausewe have one of the long lost artifacts that has made its way home," she said.

"It's going to be a very educational experience for the younger generation, and we look forward to carryingon our culture. With the physical presence of the pole, it will be giving our stories credibility."

In 2007, the United Kingdom voted to support the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous People, part of which calls for the return of ceremonial objects.

In 2010, the Royal B.C. Museum and the Canadian Museum of Historyreturned 276 historical and spiritual artifacts to the Nisga'aunder the terms of the treaty signed in 2000 by the Nisga'a and the governments of Canada and B.C.

The Nisga'a said,to date,only one totem polehas beensuccessfully returned from a European museum. The Haisla G'psgolox pole was returned from Sweden in 2006.