Duty Fulfilled

Gilbert Whiteduck
June 29, 2011
Kitigan Zibi

"We knew the spirits were with us."

Gilbert Whiteduck, Anishinabe

To succeed in repatriating their ancestors’ remains to their community requires persistence, finesse and long struggles with museum officials. When the time comes to gently place the bones in the handmade birch boxes, everyone talks softly. Time stops just long enough to share the pride of having achieved this, with respect, and the very strong feeling of having fulfilled a duty towards the elders. With a small group of women and men, Gilbert Whiteduck experienced one of these exceptional moments.