Heiltsuk Nation celebrates ‘powerful, emotional’ return of historic Chief’s Seat

Heiltsuk Nation chiefs, council and members are celebrating the return of a historical artifact.

The nation is celebrating the first step of a repatriation effort to bring home a decorated chief’s seat from the Royal BC Museum.

The seat has been in the museum’s possession for more than 100 years, dating back to 1911.

It was carved by renowned Heiltsuk artist and chief Captain Richard Carpenter (Dúqvay̓ḷá Hawallis).

“The repatriation of the chief’s seat, is a powerful and emotional moment for our family and the Heiltsuk Nation,” said Marilyn Slett, a descendent of Captain Carpenter and the elected Chief of the Heiltsuk Nation.

“Hawallis’s artwork has been on display in museums and collections around the world, from Berlin and London to Alaska and New York.

“This is the first of his treasures to return home so that we can all enjoy and benefit from his work.”

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The Royal BC Museum said it is committed to an Indigenous-led approach to repatriation and is thankful for the collaborative work.

“We are excited to see the Chief’s seat returned home and look forward to continuing this work with the Nation,” said Elizabeth Vickery, vice president of strategic operations at the museum.

The Heiltsuk Nation said Carpenter was born in 1841, and was a masterful artist. He was a second-ranking chief who lived to the age of 90.

“His life parallelled his craft, as he both transformed materials and told stories through them, while also helping steward Heiltsuk society and culture through the massive changes wrought by contact and colonialism, including decimation by smallpox and the subsequent adaptation and resurgence of Heiltsuk culture and society,” the Nation said in a release.

Carpenter was known for his monumental and ornate works across various forms of carvings including monumental canoes.

“(His) 75-foot-long canoe that was built and gifted to Chief Shakes of Kitkatla, and was later sold to collectors and brought to the USA, winding up at the American Museum of Natural History in New York,” the Nation said.

Heiltsuk leaders and members were at the museum on Friday for a celebration event.

The Heiltsuk Nation’s territory is located on B.C.’s Central Coast and Vancouver Island.

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