Introduction to MOA’s Guidelines for Repatriation
The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) is committed to working respectfully with the originating
communities from whom the Museum’s collections have originated. Discussions regarding
repatriation are governed by this principle. MOA considers all requests for repatriation seriouslyand on a case-by-case basis.
The Museum’s mandate is to maintain objects purchased or donated by the public in a facility
accessible by the public, to further research and education, and to offer assistance to originating
communities regarding the preservation and display of collections in their possession. TheMuseum’s work is guided by the recommendations of the Task Force report of the Assembly ofFirst Nations and the Canadian Museums Association, “Forging New Partnerships Between
Museums and First Peoples” (1992). The University of British Columbia governs the Museum.
In the repatriation process complex issues may arise. In many cases, for example, there may be
no clear evidence, either oral or written, on the pathway that led the object to become housed inthe Museum. The Museum therefore may involve the community and/ or individuals in theprocess of responding to a claim. We will consider a variety of options to meet the spirit and intent
of a request, including special access to holdings, loans, exhibits, stewardship arrangements,
sharing authority and responsibility for care and interpretation, replication or new creation ofobjects, and respectful storage and/or display of collections in accordance with the advice of theoriginating peoples.
The Museum will hold repatriation discussions in confidence until a joint resolution and publicannouncement are agreed upon.

Guidelines for Repatriation
Note: this is a working document, subject to revision. Last updated 2000.
The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at the University of British Columbia is a teaching and publicmuseum which endeavours to promote understanding and respect for world cultures. MOA
undertakes to balance its role as a teaching and research museum with a commitment to theappropriate care of the collections it houses. The Museum continues to pursue, in a respectfulmanner, a close and collaborative relationship with the originating communities of the collections
and related materials connected to them. Throughout this, the Museum is guided by the Task
Force report of the Assembly of First Nations and the Canadian Museums Association, "ForgingNew Partnerships Between Museums and First Peoples" (1992).
Repatriation is part of this process. The Museum's policies concerning repatriation are outlined inthis document: "Guidelines on Repatriation of Canadian First Peoples' Cultural Materials housedin MOA " and the "Ethnology Collection Policy (available by request.)" It is also important toclarify that the UBC Museum of Anthropology is not formally part of the B.C. Treaty Commission
Process as it is not a federal or provincial museum.
In the repatriation process complex issues often surface. In many cases there is not clear
evidence, either oral or written, on the pathway that led the object to become housed in theMuseum. In addition, the Museum is committed to the stewardship of objects purchased withpublic funds, and to a museum's potential as an educational and public facility. The Museum also
acknowledges that all First Nations' material is part of the intellectual and cultural heritage of therespective First Nations. It is for reasons such as these that MOA considers all requests forrepatriation of cultural materials on a case-by-case basis. Repatriation means recognizing
people's stake in their heritage, which in practice can mean such things as negotiated return ofobjects and related cultural materials, and/or sharing authority and responsibility for care andinterpretation of collections in the museum.

There are cases where it is clear that objects should be returned to a community - for example ifthey were illegally taken. In addition, MOA considers the return of cultural objects to individual
families in cases where the objects are private and ceremonial, or left the family under dubious
circumstances.
The Museum also has, however, an interest in maintaining objects purchased with public funds ina facility accessible by the public, and in offering assistance to ensure the long-term preservationof these objects. MOA is both committed to work collaboratively with First Nations to co-manage
the care and custody of cultural objects housed in MOA, and to share our museum knowledge
with other museums and cultural centres.
With repatriation requests, the Museum involves the community and/or individuals in the processof responding to the claim. We use our best efforts and consider all options available to meet thespirit and intent of a request. These may include special access to holdings, loans, exhibits,
stewardship arrangements, replication of objects, and respectful storage and/or display ofcollections in accordance with the advice of the originating peoples.
The objects and options such as loans or replications are the tangible elements in a repatriation
process. Equally important, however, are the intangible elements: the respect with which theprocess is conducted, the meaning of repatriation in the changing relationship between Museums
and First Nations, and meaning to First Nations symbolized by the return.

(A) Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to:(1) Provide information on how to make a claim for repatriation of First Nations cultural materials
in the UBC Museum of Anthropology's (MOA's) collection;(2) Explain how MOA processes a claim;(3) Outline alternatives to repatriation such as special access to collections, loans, andstewardship arrangements, within the limits of MOA's own resources and available funding.

(B) Procedure for Repatriation Applications(1) Requests for repatriation of cultural materials should be made in writing and addressed to theDirector of the Museum of Anthropology. They should clearly identify the First Nation and/orindividual(s) making the claim and state the reasons for the request.
(2) Requests for repatriation will be acknowledged by the Director and then referred to a standing
committee appointed by the Director for review as outlined below (see Standing Committee
Procedures).
(3) MOA will consider all requests for repatriation of cultural materials. In the event of conflicting
claims MOA will inform parties that a conflict exists and defer decisions about repatriation until theconflict has been resolved.
(4) The interests of the individual(s)/or community making the request will be foremost in thecommittee's consideration of the application. The Museum will make every effort to involve thecommunity and/or individuals in the process of responding to the claim.

Standing Committee Procedures(i) This committee will review Museum records and all information received from the requestor(s)concerning the object(s) requested.
(ii) In the case of requests from First Nations individuals or organizations other than First Nations
governing bodies, the committee will notify relevant First Nations governing authorities of therequest and seek their advice.
(iii) The committee may advertise or take other necessary steps to identify other possible
claimants.
(iv) The committee will evaluate the information and make recommendation to the Director foraction.

(C) Human Remains
There are no Canadian First Nations ancestral skeletal remains in the MOA ethnology collection.
With respect to funerary objects and grave markers or other objects which may have been
associated with human remains, MOA is guided by this policy document.
Some collections of human skeletal remains are present in the UBC Laboratory of Archaeology ofthe Department of Anthropology and Sociology, whose facilities are divided between MOA andthe UBC Department of Anthropology/Sociology. These collections are managed by theLaboratory of Archaeology according to the policies of the Province of B.C. in Victoria. For
information contact the UBC Archaeology Assistant at 604.822.5087.
(D) MOA’s Guidelines for Repatriation(1) MOA will respond as quickly as possible to all requests for repatriation of cultural materials inits collections.
(2) MOA will use its best efforts and consider all options available to meet the spirit and intent of arequest. These may include special access to holdings, loans, exhibits, stewardshiparrangements, replication of objects, and respectful storage and/or display of collections inaccordance with the advice of the originating peoples (peoples from whom the collections came).
(3) While MOA recognizes that First Nations are governed by their own traditions and policies,
MOA's negotiating position is guided by Canadian law and international agreements signed by
Canada, and by the governing body of UBC.
(4) In accordance with UBC procedures, any decision by the Museum of Anthropology to remove
the object(s) permanently from the collection must be confirmed by the senior levels of universityadministration to which the Museum reports: by the Dean of Arts, Vice-President Academic,President, and ultimately the Board of Governors of UBC. Anyone wishing to appeal a decisionby the Museum can use the same route to submit an appeal.
(5) MOA is also guided by professional museum Codes of Ethics, * and the 1992 report “Turningthe Page: Forging New Partnerships Between Museums and First Peoples” (Assembly of First
Nations and the Canadian Museums Association Task Force Report on Museums and First
Peoples), which MOA has endorsed.

(E) Related Information(1) A primary mandate of the UBC Museum of Anthropology is to provide access to objects andinformation about cultures from around the world, with priority given to the achievements andconcerns of the First Nations and British Columbia's cultural communities.
(2) One purpose of this policy is to acknowledge that an integral part of MOA’s definition as amuseum is the priority of creating and furthering partnerships with the peoples from whose
communities the collections originate.
(3) In cases where loans rather than repatriation are requested, or in cases where a repatriationagreement is not reached, MOA will make every effort to provide First Peoples with access tocollections, guided by the MOA Collection Policy.
(4) Detailed information on MOA’s Repatriation Policy is contained in MOA’s Ethnology Collection
Policy. A copy of this document can be obtained by contacting:Assistant to the Director.
UBC Museum of Anthropology
6393 N.W. Marine Drive
Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6T 1Z2
TelFaxEmail604.822.5052
604.822.2974
info@moa.ubc.ca(5) MOA will endeavor to consult with originating communities on the storage, care of, and accessto culturally sensitive materials, and welcomes community initiatives in these areas.
(6) Negotiations concerning culturally sensitive material will be conducted with professionaldiscretion.
(7) The Museum will, within the limits of its own resources and available funding, offer originating
peoples technical assistance in areas of museum practice such as care, preservation, andexhibition of objects, and collections management. Such assistance may encompass advice andopportunities for training.
(8) Museum staff will endeavor to answer requests for information about objects in the collection
as quickly as possible.

MOA's Guidelines on Repatriation of Canadian First Peoples' Cultural Materials housed in MOA
was first drafted in August 1995 and revised in January 2000.
Notes
1. Canadian Museums Association, The Ethical Behavior of Museum Professionals, 1979
2. Code of Ethics and Guidance for Practice for Those Involved in the Conservation of Cultural
Property in Canada, 2nd ed., The International Institute for Conservation-Canadian Group, TheCanadian Association of Professional Conservators, 2nd ed., 1988.