First Nation Says New Approach Needed to Royal BC Museum

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A First Nation on Vancouver Island is urging the provincial government to change its approach to building a new $789-million home for the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria.

The Tseshaht First Nation, based in Port Alberni, has written an open letter to the government suggesting it divert some of that money to help Indigenous communities repatriate artifacts and build their own cultural centres.

"While we know a business case has been presented, we believe the province needs to put the brakes on this work, develop plans to empower Nations and return items back to their rightful owners," said the open letter, signed by Tseshaht elected chief councillor Ken Watts. "We are not looking to derail; we are looking for solutions and to paddle together in one canoe."

He said the Tseshaht would like their items, which include carvings and harpoon points, to be returned.

Watts told the CBC he had not heard back from the government. 

The CBC reported the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture acknowledged the return of ancestral remains and cultural items is important for reconciliation, and the museum has been repatriating Indigenous collections for decades.

"Indigenous belongings and ancestral remains will continue to be available throughout the project for the purpose of repatriation," the ministry told CBC.

The project has raised controversy with some people saying the museum needs to be upgraded and modernized, while others argue the money would be better spent to address social issues, including the lack of affordable housing and a shortage of family doctors.

Source: Tseshaht First Nation, CBC News