The Repatriation of Cultural Objects: A Panel Discussion

As the Association for Public Art exhibits and returns a Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw Na̱ʼwiti House Post from its collection to the U’mista Cultural Centre in British Columbia this spring, join us to hear from a range of perspectives on the return of cultural objects and changing approaches toward the stewardship of Indigenous collections in the 21st century. Panelists join us from a wide range of institutions, including U’mista Cultural Centre in British Columbia, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC, Canadian Museum of History in Quebec, and the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia. The conversation will be moderated by the Association for Public Art.

The discussion will take place at the Atelier Gallery in Brewerytown where the exhibition, Homecoming: The Journey of a Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw Na̱ʼwiti House Post, will be on view until May 31, 2026.

Panelists:

• Juanita Johnston, Executive Director, U’mista Cultural Centre
• Kelly McHugh, Head of Conservation, National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI)
• Brian Carpenter, Curator of Indigenous Materials, American Philosophical Society (APS)
• Lavina Li, Conservator, Canadian Museum of History, Quebec

About the Exhibition:

The Association for Public Art (aPA) will return a Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw house post to its ancestral land with the partnership and guidance of the U’mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay, British Columbia. The U’mista Cultural Centre will receive the house post for their cultural heritage collection.

Before it makes its journey across the country, the Na̱ʼwiti House Post will be shown to the public at Atelier Gallery, along with an exhibit detailing the history and cultural significance of the artwork.

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Host or Publisher Association for Public Art