Returning Lost Treasure
The American Museum of Natural History in New York City has relics, or items from the past, belonging to the Ojibwe. The Ojibwe are an American Indian nation from the Great Lakes region. Their relics have been locked away at the museum for years.
Recently, American Indian leaders in Minnesota have tried to get the items back. They said the relics are an important part of Ojibwe history. Now it seems they might succeed. Three birch bark rolls and six other sacred objects were returned to the group.
The bark scrolls have special importance to the Ojibwe. Only certain members of their medicine society understand the writings on the bark. The scrolls are supposed to be kept from view.
“It's like finding a long-lost relative, someone you loved very much,” Rose Berens told the Timberjay newspaper. Berens directs the Bois Forte Heritage Center in Minnesota.
Important Victory
The return of the objects was an important victory for the Ojibwe. It was also an important win for other American Indians. The Ojibwe are not the only ones seeking to reclaim items from museums around the country.
Officials estimate more than 1,150 museums and other collectors have returned objects to Indian nations. Some have given back human remains that had been studied by scientists. The process was made easier by a national law passed in 1990.
Federal Help
Under the law, museums had to record all American Indian items in their collections. It was up to the Indian nations to ask for the return of the items. The process is often long and expensive.
However, the National Park Service is providing money to help American Indians reclaim their treasures. The National Park Service awarded the Ojibwe more than $9,000 to pay for trips to New York.
Great Celebration
The Ojibwe celebrated when their sacred relics were returned. Some of their leaders went to New York for a pipe ceremony. According to the Ojibwe, the pipe ceremony celebrates a power living in all things.
How did the Ojibwe lose the items in the first place? A scientist who studied Ojibwe language and life took them during a study. The American Museum of Natural History kept the items for research. They were never on display. Now the items have a life again among the people who created them.