Rematriating a Memorial Pole & the Role of Children

Yesterday we participated in worship at Trenton United Church and were pleased that 40 or more people were wearing orange in some form to commemorate National Truth and Reconciliation Day. A number of those present were children who were in orange. 

Our two Trenton grandchildren were with us for the weekend so we all donned our orange tee-shirts before heading over, and on the way the eight-year-old explained the significance of  the colour, recounting the story of the orange shirt taken from Indigenous child Phyllis Webstad when she first arrived at an Indigenous School and how it became a symbol. Today they will wear their shirts again as their Roman Catholic French School acknowledges Truth and Reconciliation Day. 

I wonder if it will be our children and young people who lead us to reconciliation and justice, living beyond the colonial outlooks and institutions which have affected Indigenous peoples profoundly for generations in Canada. Many of us grew up with these stereotypes and assumptions and they are stubbornly imbedded in our settler culture. 

                                                                     Rematriation Ceremony 

You may have seen that on Friday a memorial pole was "rematriated" from Scotland to British Columbia. The pole  was appropriated, which is a euphemistic way of saying "stolen" from the Nisga'a nation nearly a century ago and sold to a Scottish museum. After years of negotiation the pole has been returned. As Chief Earl Stephens.explains

 In Nisg̱a’a culture, we believe that this pole is alive with the spirit of our ancestors.After nearly 100 years, we are finally able to bring our dear relative home to rest on Nisg̱a’a lands. It means so much for us to have the Ni’isjoohl memorial pole returned to us, so that we can connect our family, nation and our future generations with our living history

A Globe and Mail article offers this insight from Amy Parent a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous governance and education and an associate professor at Simon Fraser University, who is a descendent of the person who was honoured by the pole 160 years ago: 

Ms. Parent said the Nisga’a travelled to Scotland two decades ago to ask for the return of the totem, but the museum said then that it was in rough shape and couldn’t be moved. But they persisted, and last year, the museum agreed to the transfer home, she said.

Ms. Parent said in meetings they had in Edinburgh with museum officials, its board and the government of Scotland, the Nisga’a stressed that the “reason for coming to Scotland was we wanted our children to be able to wake up every day and not have to work so hard to learn about the story of who we are.” 

The Nisga’a told Scottish officials they wanted the spirit of the totem to be free in its homeland and be connected to where it belongs, she said.

Ms. Parent said she was convinced the presence of curious children at the National Museum of Scotland when the Nisga’a delegation arrived helped them bring the totem back to B.C.’s Nass Valley. 

The children asked the Nisga’a about their songs, their language and the story of the totem, she said. “Children have an innate sense of justice and they know the difference between right and wrong,” said Ms. Parent. “It didn’t take very long for the children to come up to us and to send their parents to us and ask, ‘What language are you speaking, what songs are you singing?’ ”

I hope that this will continue around Turtle Island, the work of the Creator, and that children will continue to lead the way.