Indigenous Repatriation Handbook

Toolkit/framework/roadmap
Case studies

Resources

Docs & Forms

OCM Datasheet

Intended Audience

“Indigenous Nations in BC and mainstream museums involved in the process of repatriation”

J. N. Collison, S. K. L. Bell, L.-A. Neel, Royal BC Museum

2019

“With 34 unique Indigenous language and cultural groups in BC, this handbook seeks to provide practical information that will enable each group to carry out the process of repatriation in ways that align with the cultural traditions of each respective community, while also providing information that will be helpful to museums…

To repatriate something is to return it to the country of its origin. For museums, repatriation applies more specifically to the return of human remains and cultural objects to Indigenous communities. Because the process of repatriation is different in each instance, we envision that this handbook will continue to evolve and transform as newer practices, policies and processes are developed.

The content of this first edition is based on the knowledge and experiences of a number of Indigenous communities in BC, as well as staff of the Royal BC Museum, who collectively have been working on repatriation for the past 30 or more years. The handbook is meant to serve as a reference and is not intended to be prescriptive; rather, it provides guidance on activities related to the process of repatriation.”

Avaiable in

English

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SDGs LINKAGES

Implementing this resource supports a number of SDG targets, most especially 1.4 (access, ownership, including over inheritance, IP rights), 10.2 (promoting universal social, economic and political inclusion of all), 10.3 (eliminating discriminatory policies and practices) and 11.4 (strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard cultural and natural heritage).

Ensuring collections management is based on legal principles supports 16.3 (support the rule of law), and returning stolen or illegally held property supports 16.4 (strengthen recovery of stolen assets).

Effective institutions and relationships support 16.6 (effective, accountable and transparent institutions), and ensuring decisions are made in inclusive and participatory ways supports 16.7, as well as 16.10 (support fundamental freedoms, in line with human rights) and 16.B (uphold and promote laws and policies for sustainable development).

Close partnership working with source communities supports 17.16 (multistakeholder partnerships) and 17.17 (cross sector partnerships for sustainable development).

Click on the SDG Target to discover Our Collections Matter indicators

SDG 1.4: Equal Rights to Ownership, Basic Services, Technology and Economic Resources
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Numbers and proportions of people from particular groups using collections in comparison with demographics in broader society.
Numbers of people accessing collections.
Number of targeted programmes that aim to enhance access to collections by disadvantaged groups.
Sustainable tourism that enhances local communities’ access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property (including cultural and natural heritage), as well as to technology and markets.
Involvement of people from disadvantaged groups in decision-making activities and processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
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SDG 10.2: Promote Universal Social Economic and Political Inclusion
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Collections development to ensure that collections effectively meet the needs of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
Number and proportion of educational and participatory programmes that promote participation irrespective of social or other status.
Numbers and proportions of people making use of collections in relation to the demographic of the local population.
Numbers and proportions of people involved in focused programmes aimed at promoting social, economic and political inclusion.
Numbers and proportions of people from different demographic groups involved in decision-making processes relating to collections and collections-based institutions.
Number and types of partnerships that build relationships with marginalized groups, individuals and communities.
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SDG 10.3: Ensure Equal Opportunities and End Discrimination
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Identification of discriminatory policies and practices, with clear plans to address these, to ensure equal opportunity for all and reduce inequalities of outcome.
Collections development to uphold and promote legislation and anti-discriminatory perspectives, with the aim of reducing inequality within and between countries.
Education and participatory programmes that promote anti-discriminatory legislation, policies and action, with the aim of reducing inequality within and between countries.
Research that supports anti-discriminatory legislation, policies and action, with the aim of reducing inequality within and between countries.
Participation in partnerships that promote anti-discriminatory legislation, policies and action, with the aim of reducing inequality within and between countries.
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SDG 11.4: Protect the Worlds Cultural and Natural Heritage
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Total expenditure (public and private) per capita spent on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by type of heritage.
Plans, policies and procedures in place for the safe use of collections for a variety of purposes, protecting and safeguarding both collections and those who use them.
Plans, policies and procedures in place for the identification, safeguarding and protection of cultural and natural heritage at risk.
Collecting programmes in place to protect, safeguard and make use of cultural and natural heritage, addressing the needs of communities and stakeholders, and ensuring that collections can be an effective resource for sustainable development.
Number and diversity of educational, awareness-raising, research programmes, and partnerships that aim to strengthen protection of cultural and natural heritage.
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SDG 16.3: Promote the Rule of Law and Ensure Equal Access to Justice
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Collections development that relates to the rule of law, equality before the law, and justice for all.
Number of activities drawing on collections, for example educational, research and partnership activities, that promote the rule of law at national and international levels, and that promote a culture of lawfulness, and the right of all to justice.
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SDG 16.4: Combat Organized Crime and Illicit Financial and Arms Flows
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Identification of stolen assets, return of stolen assets.
Collections development, education, awareness-raising and partnership activities relating to organized crime, with a view to combatting organized crime everywhere.
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SDG 16.6: Develop Effective Accountable and Transparent Institutions
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of the population [audience/users/non-users] satisfied with their last experience of public services.
Access to information, and accountability policies and mechanisms, in place.
Effective institutional arrangements, both for own working and for working in partnership with other sectors, in place.
Plans and arrangements in place for extraordinary circumstances such as natural and human-caused disasters.
Effective arrangements in place to fulfil legal and social obligations and responsibilities.
Effective arrangements in place for transparent communication and reporting of institutional performance.
Effective arrangements in place for transparent decision-making and accountability.
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SDG 16.7: Ensure Responsive, Inclusive and Representative Decision-Making
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportions of positions (by sex, age, persons with disabilities and population groups) in public institutions (national and local legislatures, public service, and judiciary) compared to national distributions.
Proportion of population [audience/users/non-users] who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by sex, age, disability and population group.
Decision-making addresses societal, environmental and economic challenges related to the community, considering short-term and long-term risks and opportunities.
Decision-making draws on diverse backgrounds, viewpoints and interests, reflecting a broad base of stakeholders, and working to promote inclusion and provide effective services for all of society.
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SDG 16.10: Ensure Public Access to Information and Protect Fundamental Freedoms
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Adopt and implement constitutional, statutory and/or policy guarantees for public access to information.
Plans in place, and plans implemented to enhance public access to information relating to collections.
Plans in place, and plans implemented to support fundamental freedoms, in line with human rights, national and international agreements and legislation.
Plans and procedures in place for public access to information relating to the operation and management of collections-based institutions.
Complaint mechanism in place for public to use where public access to information and fundamental freedoms not supported or fulfilled.
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SDG 16.B: Promote and Enforce Non-Discriminatory Laws and Policies
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Proportion of population [audience/users/non-users] reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law.
Number and proportion of policies that incorporate sustainable development considerations, in the full sense of recognizing all three of social, economic and environmental considerations.
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SDG 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of global and international multi-stakeholder partnerships that share collection-related knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources to address the SDGs, or that otherwise involve collections-based organisations and institutions.
Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of global and international multi-stakeholder partnerships involving developing countries that share collection-related knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources to address the SDGs.
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SDG 17.17: Encourage Effective Partnerships
Our Collections Matter indicators:
Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships.
Number and/or increase in number, and diversity of local, national and regional multi-stakeholder (public, public-private and civil society) partnerships that address the SDGs drawing on collections, or that otherwise involve collections-based organisations and institutions.
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SDGs