Gitxaala Nation to repatriate House Post from Harvard University Museum

Gitnangun'aks House Post is coming back to the North Coast
with the Gitxaala Nation outlining the repatriation plans towards it
(image from Gitxaala Nation announcement)

The Gitxaala Nation has shared word with its membership of a significant step towards repatriating cultural and works of art for the community. 

With the first repatriation return for the Nation that of the Gitnangun'aks House Post, which will be returning to the Gitxaala people in February.

In an announcement through the Gitxaala Nation website, the Repatriation Committee outlined some of the history to the piece which has been part of the collection at the Peabody Museum at Harvard University since it was bought by a fishing company in 1885.

The Museum has had it in its care since 1917, the House Post having spent the last two decades in storage.

The transfer agreement will see the Post shipped to Prince Rupert at the end of this month, it is anticipated to arrive by March and will be on exhibit at the Museum of Northern British Columbia at that time, with a community celebration to occur in April.

The House Post will have one more journey ahead of it in the future, that is when it will be transferred to a museum to be established in Lax Klan, though no timeline towards that museum plan was outlined in the statement which you can review here.

The repatriation work is just the beginning for the Committee, which is hosting its next meeting on Sunday at 3 PM in the Gtxaala Band Office Boardroom, you can also participate by Zoom by contacting  culture@gitxaalanation.com

Follow notes of interest from the Gitxaala Nation through their Social Media stream.

We keep up with events from the First Nation through our archive page here.