We Are Coming Home
Repatriation and the Restoration of Blackfoot Cultural Confidence
Distributed for Athabasca University Press
We Are Coming Home
Repatriation and the Restoration of Blackfoot Cultural Confidence
“We Are Coming Home!” is the story of the highly complex process of repatriation as described by those intimately involved in the work, notably the Piikuni, Siksika, and Kainai elders who provided essential oversight and guidance. We also hear from the Glenbow Museum’s president and CEO at the time and from an archaeologist then employed at the Provincial Museum of Alberta who provides an insider’s view of the drafting of FNSCORA. These accounts are framed by Conaty’s reflections on the impact of museums on First Nations, on the history and culture of the Niitsitapi, or Blackfoot, and on the path forward. With Conaty’s passing in August of 2013, this book is also a tribute to his enduring relationships with the Blackfoot, to his rich and exemplary career, and to his commitment to innovation and mindful museum practice.
Table of Contents
List of Tables and Figures vii
Acknowledgements ix
Prologue Robert R. Janes
Beginnings Gerald T. Conaty
1. The Development of Museums and Their Effects on First Nations
Gerald T. Conaty
2. Niitsitapiisinni: Our Way of Life
Gerald T. Conaty
3. Repatriation Among the Piikani
Allan Pard
4. Reviving Traditions
Jerry Potts
5. Repatriation Experiences of the Kainai
Frank Weasel Head
6. Bringing Back Iitskinaiksi at Siksika
Herman Yellow Old Woman
7. Reviving Our Ways at Siksika
Chris McHugh
8. Moving Toward Repatriation
John W. Ives
9. The Blackfoot Repatriation: A Personal Epilogue
Robert R. Janes
10. Moving Forward
Gerald T. Conaty
List of Contributors
Index
Be the first to know
Get the latest updates on new releases, special offers, and media highlights when you subscribe to our email lists!