Religious artifacts to be returned to Alberta natives

Some sacred Alberta native artifacts, which have been kept behind glass for the past 50 years, are going to be sent home.

Calgary's Glenbow Museum has signed an agreement to give the medicine pipes and sacred bundles back to their owners. Alberta Premier Ralph Klein says this is just the first of many agreements to return native artifacts.

Alberta native groups say they have waited a long time to get these sacred objects back. Sacred bundles and medicine pipes are used in spiritual ceremonies and were part of everyday life for First Nations people.

In the 1950s and 1960s, native children were sent to residential schools and lost touch with their culture. Many of the sacred bundles were sold to museums.

For a decade the Glenbow has lent the pieces to the native communities for special ceremonies. But now it is giving 251 of the objects back permanently.

Frank Weaslehead, a native spiritual leader, says the return of these objects will help a new generation. "We learned by them. We learned to respect, we learned responsibility to help care for them. But that was lost and now we have an opportunity for our young children to regain those things back," he said.

Klein, who has close ties to the native community, says this is just the beginning. He says the Alberta government will introduce legislation to repatriate certain sacred objects of all First Nations.