A long-awaited homecoming: A totem pole travels from Scotland back to Canada

In a historic moment, a totem pole has been returned from a British museum to an indigenous community in Canada. The pole, known as the Ni'isjoohl memorial pole, was taken from the Ank'idaa village in the Nass Valley almost a century ago by Canadian ethnographer Marius Barbeau. It caught the attention of the National Museum of Scotland, who purchased it from Barbeau. However, the pole was taken without permission from the indigenous community. Now, after years of efforts, the totem pole has been repatriated and is on display at the Nisga'a Museum in Nass Valley. This return sets a precedent for the repatriation movement gaining momentum worldwide, where indigenous communities and nations are seeking the return of their cultural artifacts from museums. The return of the Ni'isjoohl pole is seen as a step towards reconciliation and healing for the Nisga'a Nation and other indigenous communities in Canada who have suffered from colonialism and assimilation policies. This repatriation also highlights the changing attitudes within the museum community, with a growing recognition of the importance of returning culturally significant items to their rightful owners.