October 12, 2006
Sculpture representing first male ancestor of the Chilliwacks returned to tribe by Burke
Launched by singing, drumming and words of thanks, T’xwelátse is finally on his way home after a century-long visit at the Burke Museum.
The 4-foot-tall granite sculpture of the first male ancestor of the Chilliwacks, a Canadian Indian tribe which is part of the Sto:lo Nation, began the journey back to British Columbia Monday after repatriation ceremonies held at the museum on Friday.
The ceremonies marked the end of a nearly 15-ear effort by the Sto:lo Nation to have T’xwelátse (Til-wil-aht-sah) returned. It is the first time that a repatriation has involved two tribes and two nations.
The 400-pound sculpture depicting a man turned to stone is considered to be an important member of the Chilliwack tribe. According to tribal lore, T’xwelátse was turned to stone by the tribe’s great Transformer being and the man’s wife was told the stone should be placed in front of their house as a reminder that people have to learn to live together in a good way.
In 1892 the sculpture apparently was stolen from the Chilliwacks and wound up being displayed at a dime-store museum in Seattle. Eventually the Young Naturalists’ Society, which later founded the Burke Museum, acquired T’xwelátse and donated it to the Burke. It has been at the Burke since 1904, being displayed on and off over the years.
The Chilliwacks became aware of the presence of T’xwelátse at the Burke in 1992 and began trying to have it returned. The repatriation process was prolonged because the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) only permits the return of objects of cultural patrimony to affiliated Indian tribes recognized by the federal government. Being a Canadian tribe, the Chilliwacks weren’t eligible under NAGPRA to claim T’xwelátse.
Eventually the Nooksack, who are culturally affiliated with the Chilliwack, became involved in the process and formally requested the return of T’xwelátse in 2005.
Friday’s ceremonies, filled with goodwill and happiness completed the long process. The private ceremonies included words from Washington Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, British Columbia Minister of Cultural Affairs John Van Dongen, tribal representatives of the various Indian tribes and nations and Burke officials.
“Now that he is coming home, he will fill a big void in our heart,” said Herb Joe, a Nooksack who is named after T’xwelátse and has been involved in the effort to have the sculpture returned since 1992.
For the ceremonies T’xwelátse was placed in a newly carved red cedar canoe and was covered with a newly woven cedar bark cape. The Nooksacks accepted the sculpture from the Burke and took it tribal lands east of Bellingham for another celebration. Later it will be transported to the Chilliwacks, who will temporarily locate T’xwelátse at their tribal headquarters at Chilliwack, B.C. Eventually T’xwelátse will be relocated in a new healing center that is being built in the Chilliwack Valley.
