Repatriation: Bringing ancestral artifacts and remains home

To repatriate something is to return it to its place of origin, to give it back to the nation and the people from which it came. This week on Unreserved, we explore how communities go about bringing items back to their home — and what it means.

The Royal BC Museum has a dedicated repatriation department — hear how they're working to repatriate thousands of Indigenous belongings and ancestral remains in the museum's collection back to their respective communities.

Before Seattle, Wash. became the fastest-growing city in the United States of the past decade, it was home to the Duwamish Tribe. But the tribe is not recognized by the government as original inhabitants of the land. A program started by the Coalition of Anti-Racist Whites does recognize their history — and pays a little rent, too.

Remains of two Beothuk people are set to be repatriated back to Canada. But Mi'kmaq Chief Mi'sel Joe from the Miawpukek First Nation in Conne River isn't sure where the remains will end up just yet.

Chief to the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake, Christine Zachary Deom wanted to repatriate ancestral remains back to her homeland. But for Deom, the process is more about re-matriation — to replace a word that is rooted in patriarchy.

Riley Kucheran's work in the fashion industry made him think about the fast-fashion industry — and how returning to the way Indigenous people used to clothe themselves could change that.

This week's playlist: 

Digawolf — Broken Bone
Celeigh Cardinal — The Devil is a Blue-Eyed Man
Lee Harvey Osmond — Kingdom Come