Halloween store in Truro criticized for selling First Nations clothing costumes

Halloween Central, a costume store in Truro, is being criticized for selling costumes emulating traditional First Nations clothing.

Stacey Marshall Tabor, a Mi'kmaq woman from the Millbrook First Nation, said she was in the costume store last week with her nine-year-old daughter when she came across the costumes.

"There were tomahawks, there were headdresses, there were native costumes like sleazy native women costumes. There was this man one that looked like the old cowboy and Indian outfit," she said.

"People in this day and age need to realize that we are not costumes.

"We take a lot of pride in making these regalias and they are used for traditional purposes such as praying, dancing, drumming, showing our respect for the community."

Marshall Tabor complained to the store's manager and as far as she knows, the costumes were eventually removed. 

The owner of Halloween Central declined to do an interview with CBC News on Monday.

Marshall Tabor said her daughter was the one who pointed the costumes out to her.

"I was looking at the sale rack and my daughter tugged on me and said, 'Isn't that racist?' She pointed to the wall," she said.

Before heading into the store, Marshall Tabor's daughter had been dancing in her regalia to celebrate Mi'kmaq history month — regalia that looked similar to the costumes in Halloween Central. 

"Here I am trying to show my daughter be proud of who you are, be proud of your culture, be proud of your traditions," she said.

"Then we walk in there to buy her a Halloween outfit that's supposed to be fun and they're mocking her."