W̱JOȽEȽP, UNCEDED TERRITORY OF W̱SÁNEĆ NATION / BRENTWOOD BAY, B.C. –, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Estimates from community-based repatriation budgets show significant, long-term investment is needed to repatriate thousands of Ancestors and Belongings that must be returned home. First Nations communities have generously shared their knowledge and expertise, providing insight and rich data on all aspects of repatriation.
“This research illustrates the scope of repatriation and the incredible amount of work still left to do,” says Karen Aird, Heritage Manager at the First Peoples’ Cultural Council. “The reports demonstrate the perseverance of B.C. First Nations despite decades of cultural destruction and suppression. Self-determined repatriation of lost Belongings and Ancestors is crucial for cultural revitalization. This is an opportunity for everyone to recognize the reality of repatriation and what is required for communities to start the path to healing.”
From Stealing to Healing: Repatriation and B.C. First Nations presents critical research identifying over 2,500 Ancestors and 100,000 Belongings from B.C. that are currently held in 229 colonial institutions worldwide. A timeline presents over 100 years of removal and repatriation in B.C. and shares more recent repatriation experiences through case studies from 16 Nations. These stories show the lasting and immeasurable positive impacts of repatriation in B.C. First Nations communities and how vital this work is for healing and cultural revitalization.
The research findings of the Repatriation Cost Analysis: A Framework and Model are based on actual costs and budgets provided by First Nations communities. It describes the steps taken to identify and estimate the costs of First Nations–led repatriation, from beginning planning to long-term caretaking after Ancestors and Belongings are repatriated. It provides a cost model with the flexibility to account for various stages of readiness, number of items and …