From 30 November to 20 December 2023, you can participate in online meetings on the Zoom platform with representatives of indigenous cultures from the Northwest Coast of Canada.
A lecture “Repatriation of the Remains and Artefacts of Haida Ancestors and the Canadian Reconcilliation Policy with Indigenous People – Cultural Dilemmas” by Andy Wilson will be held on 20 December 2023 on the Zoom platform.
The lecture examines the cultural dilemmas taking place in contemporary Canada seeking reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, especially after the release of the results of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s years-long study. They are discussed in the context of earlier Canadian colonial policies and acts of violence against “Indians” perpetrated, for instance, by archaeologists and anthropologists from various countries, looting the remains of the Haida people’s ancestors and their cultural artifacts and then placing them in museums and other institutions, as well as in private collections. Wilson reflects on his role in repatriating the Haida nation’s ancestral remains for reburial and the significance of this process for his community. He focuses on ten years of intense involvement in the project (1995-2005) with other members of the Haida Repatriation Committee.