INTERESTING NEWS Canada’s Oldest First Nations Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Canadian Publications Mail Product Vol. 51 - No. 14—July 18, 2024 haas^i>sa Sales Agreement No. 40047776
Efforts build to bring Whalers’ Shrine back to Yuquot Taken under questionable circumstances in 1904, a connection from California has reignited desire to repatriate By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Tsaxana, BC - Momentum is building to have the Whalers’ Washing House returned to its original site at Yuquot, after the contents of the shrine have sat in a New York museum’s storage for over a century. Originally situated in a heavily wooded, unnamed island on Jewitt Lake by the ancient Mowachaht village site of Yuquot, the shrine has been called “the most significant monument associated with Nuu-chah-nulth whaling” in the location’s designation as a National Historic Site of Canada. That national recognition has been in place since 1983, but the Whalers’ Washing House has been absent from its sacred home since 1904, when it was brought to the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The shrine was purchased – or stolen – depending on one’s interpretation of historical accounts. George Hunt, a Tlingit-Scottish ethnographer, learned about the shrine in the winter of 190001. He managed to photograph the site, attracting the interest of anthropologist Franz Boas, who arranged a purchase on behalf of his employer, the AMNH. The deal was made for $500 with two Mowachaht elders – but on the condition that the shrine be removed after the tribe had left Yuquot to hunt seals. “It was the best thing I ever bought from the Indians,” wrote Hunt to Boas, who both collected many cultural pieces from Indigenous peoples of the B.C. coast. The shrine’s location could soon change if efforts from a newly formed committee are successful. On July 24 members of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation Whaler’s Shrine Repatriation Committee are set to head to New York to meet with the museum’s Cultural Resource Office for a private viewing, when a “ceremonial blessing” will be given for the contents of the shrine. “That’s to just do a chant and a prayer over the human remains,” said committee member Margaretta James, referencing the 16 human skulls that are part of the Whaler’s Washing House. “We formed this committee to actively work on the shrine’s return.” The shrine also consists of 88 carved human figures and four whale carvings that were once housed in a structure where whalers purified themselves before the hunt by absorbing the power of their ancestors. “The shrine was where our whalers prayed and practiced ritual oosemich (bathing) to prepare for the
George Hunt photo
The Whalers’ Washing House was long used as a secret site to prepare Mowachaht people for the whale hunt. Here it was photograhed in Yuquot before being taken to the American Museum of Natural History in New York physical and spiritual challenges they Muchalaht people produced by the including the shrine issue.” faced when hunting the world’s largest National Film Board in 1994. In the film Lara contacted the First Nation, and his animals,” states the Mowachaht/Muchamembers of the First Nation are seen at interest reignited the desire to repatriate laht First Nation on its website. the AMNH looking over contents of the the shrine, explained James. A formal “Such shrines were the sites of purificaWhalers’ Washing House, and since then request to have the shrine returned was tion rituals,” states a submission report a consistent desire has been present in sent to the museum by the Mowachaht/ sent to the Historic Sites and Monuments the Mowachaht/Muchalaht community Muchalaht, and further discussion ensued Board of Canada in 1983. “These shrines to have the shrine returned to its original between the two parties over the spring. were buildings resembling houses and place. In the United States the Native Americontaining figures of animals and spirits, James first saw the shrine’s contents in can Graves Protection and Repatriation as well as corpses and skeletons.” 1988, something she describes as a “lifeAct actually requires that Indigenous But the location of these sacred places changing” experience. cultural items be returned to their “lineal were only known to whaling families, and “You just know that you’re in the presdescendants” by federally funded instituif a shrine was owned by a chief, no one ence of something far beyond you,” she tions like museums, also this legislation was permitted to enter or even approach said. “You could just feel the power of it. does not apply to artifacts and remains it. This was the case regarding the WhalWe just want to honour that next week.” taken from First Nations north of the ers’ Washing House. Albert Lara will also be heading to New border. The AMNH did not respond to Mystery around the shrine was still York to see the shrine on July 24. An Ha-Shilth-Sa’s request for comment apparent in the late 1980s, when the American veteran who lives in southabout plans to repatriate the Whalers’ New York museum approached the ern California, the 73-year-old recently Washing House. Mowachaht/Muchalaht about replicating discovered indications that he could be James is optimistic that the shrine could the Washing House for display. related to the Mowachaht Tyee through be returned as early as the end of this “A couple of the elders, who have since genealogical research. year. Amid its history of being a sacred passed, knew nothing about it because “He traced his bloodline to a woman site only accessible to a select few, no it was such a secret,” said James, who is that could have been a child that Chief plans for public display have been analso president of the Land of Maquinna Maquinna sent to California during the nounced. Cultural Society. fur trade era on one of the ships,” said “It will be back on the island, but it will The shrine was a subject in the Washing James. “After he discovered that line he be protected somehow,” said James. of Tears, a film about the Mowachaht/ did a lot of reading and research about us,
Inside this issue... First Nations and DFO protect deep sea territory...........Page 3 Canada forms national reconciliation council................Page 7 Families find connection at historic site...............Pages 10&11 Ditidaht gets funds to restore Doobah watershed.........Page 17 Fish habitat restoration after wildfires..........................Page 18
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