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Bringing home the bones

From: Allan Coukell
Length: 00:06:03

Indigenous people re-bury their stolen ancestors Read the full description.

Haidaprocession_small We follow a procession of Haida people through their village as they prepare to re-bury the remains of the ancestors. Along the way, we stop to hear about the remarkable cultural resurgence that brought them to this point. The Haida of Canada's Pacific coast are best known for their artwork - bold black and red painting and soaring totem poles. But a century ago, they were thought to be a dying "race". Their population crashed, their customs were banned and many of their grave sites were looted to supply the collections of the world's museums. But the Haida have rebounded. And part of their recovery has been reclaiming what was stolen.

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Piece Description

We follow a procession of Haida people through their village as they prepare to re-bury the remains of the ancestors. Along the way, we stop to hear about the remarkable cultural resurgence that brought them to this point. The Haida of Canada's Pacific coast are best known for their artwork - bold black and red painting and soaring totem poles. But a century ago, they were thought to be a dying "race". Their population crashed, their customs were banned and many of their grave sites were looted to supply the collections of the world's museums. But the Haida have rebounded. And part of their recovery has been reclaiming what was stolen.

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Review of Bringing home the bones

This is an excellent piece of writing. The narrative is strong and the actualities propel the action toward this very strong ending. Ambient sound and the Native American music give this piece a strong sense of place. Kudos all the way around.

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Review of Bringing home the bones

Allan Coukell takes us to a Haida village in Canada, where the tribal members are giving their ancestors
a traditional burial. We hear from modern Haida involved in a cultural renaissance, using the old ways in this new world.
Coukell's descriptions, through clear writing and sound, take you there.
He brings knowledge, feeling and understanding to the piece.

Related Website

http://www.homelands.org/worlds/haida.html