In September 2009, twenty-one members of the Haida Nation went to Oxford and London to work with several hundred heritage treasures at the Pitt Rivers Museum and the British Museum. The encounter set a new course for the relationships between the custodians of these cultural artifacts and the Indigenous people for whom the objects are a direct link to their past. Emotional and illuminating, tense and challenging, it was a transformative visit that none would soon forget.
Featuring contributions from Haida and museum participants and a rich selection of illustrations, This Is Our Life details the remarkable story of the Haida Project. A fascinating look at the meaning behind objects, the value of repatriation, and the impact of historical trajectories like colonialism, this is also a tender story of the understanding that grew between the Haida visitors and museum staff.
Beautifully written and illustrated, This Is Our Life offers a compelling view of the transformative potential of a conversation hundreds of years in the making.