Notice Period: June 16 – July 15, 2026
The Manitoba Museum hereby gives public notice of its intention to repatriate a pipe bowl (Accession # HBC 2421) to its rightful First Nations community: Peguis First Nation.
Repatriation is the process of returning belongings—items of cultural, spiritual, or historical significance—to their originating Nations or communities. This process honours the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples to steward their cultural heritage and supports healing, truth, and justice.
This repatriation is undertaken in alignment with:
- The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which affirms the right of Indigenous Peoples to maintain, control, protect, and develop their cultural heritage and traditions (Article 11).
- The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action, particularly Calls to Action 67 and 69, which urge museums and cultural institutions to work collaboratively with Indigenous communities in repatriation efforts and review museum policies to reflect Indigenous perspectives and rights.
- The Manitoba Museum’s own policies and commitments, which uphold principles of collaboration, respect, and accountability in our stewardship of cultural collections and relationships with Indigenous Peoples.
We recognize that repatriation is a meaningful and necessary act of reconciliation, and we are honoured to work in partnership with Peguis First Nation toward the rightful return of this belonging.
Members of the public or community representatives with questions or inquiries related to this repatriation are invited to contact the Museum’s Director of Research, Collections, and Exhibitions during the notice period, from June 16 to July 15, 2026:
Amelia Fay, PhD
Director of Research, Collections, and Exhibitions
AFay@ManitobaMuseum.ca
We are committed to a respectful, transparent, and collaborative repatriation process.