Gudáang ‘láa Hl ḵíiyanggang: I Am Finding Joy in Haida Repatriation and Research

Abstract

Over 12,000 Haida belongings and 500 Haida ancestral remains were collected and locked away in museums at the height of colonization in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It has been my lifelong quest to undo the colonial harm done to my Ancestors and their belongings. With gudáang ‘láa, (joy) as a foundational philosophy and methodology, I am researching and telling the story of Haida repatriation and reconciliatory work with museums.

Keywords

• Indigenous art history
• museology
• Northwest Coast
• Haida
• Indigenous methodology
• joy