May 12, 2023 | Author: Victoria Wang Photographer: Justin Yu Editor: Ruonan Zhao & Isabella Wen
Totem poles at Stanley Park | taken by: Justin Yu
To thousands of Indigenous peoples across Northwestern Canada, totem poles are a reminiscence of their culture and history. Traditionally, totem poles are tall monumental wooden carvings created by Indigenous Peoples on the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. Hand-carved from cedar logs and hand-painted with designs portraying symbolic animals and spirits, totem poles commemorate the past, celebrate the present, and inspire possibilities for the future. It is an artistic representation of Indigenous stories, embodying various aspects of Indigenous culture.
Impact of the Indian Act on the Theft of Indigenous Artifacts
At the turn of the 19th century, the Indian Act was passed by the Canadian government, condoning the involuntary removal of Indigenous artifacts from their original communities. The law granted the federal government control over Indigenous lands, resources, and cultural practices. The European settlers used the authority granted to them by the Indian Act to assimilate the Indigenous groups to European ideologies and to separate them from their culture with brute force. As a result, many totem poles, along with other cultural artifacts, were taken away and destroyed. Some were displayed in museums and galleries as curiosities.
The Potlatch Ban, first implemented in Canada in 1884 as an amendment to the Indian Act, led to the theft and loss of totem poles. A Potlatch is an Indigenous ceremony consisting of gift-giving and the sharing of cultural knowledge. They often mark important milestones in life, such as births, marriages, and deaths. The ban on the ceremony made it illegal for Indigenous groups to participate in acts associated with the creation and display of totem poles, making it difficult for them to make and maintain their totem poles. In fear of risking punishment from the Canadian government, the totem poles were unmaintained and unused, making them vulnerable to theft.
Return of the Totem Poles
Looming totem pole at Stanley Park | taken by: Justin Yu
The displacement and appropriation of Indigenous artifacts lasted well into the 20th century until the Potlatch Ban was lifted in 1951. It would take several years until the return of totem poles to their rightful owners and communities.
The Nuxalk totem pole was finally returned to the Nuxalk Nation after over 75 years away. It was first stolen from the Indigenous community in Bella Coola, British Columbia in the 1940s, and acquired by the Museum of Natural History in New York. After years of negotiations and efforts made for it to be brought home, the totem pole was returned to the Nuxalk Nation in a ceremony held in May of 2018.
Another recent example is the Tlingit totem pole which was restored to the Tlingit people in 2021. The totem pole was taken from the Tlingit community in Sitka, Alaska in 1904 by an American army officer and displayed at Harvard University in their Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Its homecoming ceremony was attended by the Tlingit community as well as representatives from the U.S. Army and the Peabody Museum, demonstrating cross-cultural cooperation in returning stolen artifacts.
The Process of Repatriation
The return of these totem poles is a significant event and a step taken toward reconciliation. It demonstrates the importance of recognizing past mistakes and making amendments. However, despite all the efforts made, there are still numerous totem poles and other artifacts that have not yet been returned to their Indigenous communities. Many Indigenous groups are still fighting to reclaim these cultural pieces. Countless museums and institutions have made efforts to restore the stolen artifacts back to their Indigenous communities. Repatriation is a long and complex process, due to legal and logistical issues and the unwillingness of the artifact’s holders. Nevertheless, it did not stop the Indigenous communities from fighting to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. To thousands across Canada, the totem pole is seen as a symbol of Indigenous strength and their survival.
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