The return of a small stone figure has become a powerful moment for the Tsawwassen First Nation, marking a century‑long journey of loss and reclamation. The sculpture, known as Sqəmáθia, a foot‑and‑a‑half tall rock representation of a female ancestor, was flown back from the Canadian Museum of History for a homecoming ceremony in the longhouse.

The object, considered sacred and not to be photographed, carries a story of a woman turned to stone for hoarding clams. Its misidentification as a hump‑backed man for decades underscores how Indigenous meanings were overlooked. The ceremony allowed elders and members to speak, chant, and celebrate the figure’s rightful place among their ancestors.

The repatriation also closes a historical loop: the stone was given to the museum in the 1920s by chief Harry Joe in exchange for a promised audience on land claims that never materialised. His great‑granddaughter, chief administrative officer Kim Baird, described the moment as "triumphant," linking the artifact’s return to the recent treaty settlement.

Museums are increasingly acknowledging past injustices, with many adopting policies that treat pre‑1970 acquisitions as products of duress. The collaborative effort between the Tsawwassen First Nation and the Canadian Museum of History illustrates a growing commitment to reconciliation and shared custodial stewardship.

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