Join Gabriel Essaunce Lamarche, MAS Repatriation and Community Liaison, for an informal chat as an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about repatriation and your collections. Don’t have anything to ask? Gabriel will be bring in topics of discussion, sharing his knowledge and experience to help you on your repatriation journey!
Upcoming Chats
Tuesday February 25th, 2025
11:00am-12:00pm CST
Online via Zoom
Previous Chat:
Silly Goose or Real Eagle: how to identify species of the feathers within your collections
Miss this chat and want more information? Email [email protected] for a link to an educational video.
Eagle feathers are held in highest regard by many Indigenous cultures. There are strict laws which protect eagles from poaching, in both Canada and the US. And in both countries, it is generally illegal for non-Indigenous people to possess eagle feathers (The Migratory Birds Act, in Canada, and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act in the USA).
These feathers *are* considered sacred to Indigenous people, and if they are in your museum, they should be returned to the care of Indigenous people. Repatriation of such eagle feathers should be a high priority for you.
Gabriel will teach you how to identify the subtle characteristics of colour, pattern, shape and texture that distinguish the feathers of different species of birds, so that you can recognize which are which within your collection.Â
