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‘Akwiten’ canoe

Published in 18th–19th - Century History, Issue 4 (Jul/Aug 2009), Letters, Volume 17

Sir,

—Allow me to respond to your ‘Sidelines’ piece in the last issue(HI 17.3, May/June 2009). I was a member of the Maliseet-Wolastoqiyik‘Akwiten’ canoe repatriation group, along with Chief Candice Paul andother St Mary’s First Nation community members. As a dualIrish–Canadian citizen, I provided some advice on how best to proceedin Ireland. I say ‘was’ as, after your May/June issue was published,NUI Galway generously and rightly agreed to return the canoepermanently to Canada. It arrives soon in Fredericton, New Brunswick,where it was built by the Maliseet 180 years ago. It will be on displayat the Beaverbrook Art Gallery as the centerpiece of a Maliseet artexhibit this summer.
Returning heritage objects from one culture to the culture of originis, as you say, tricky. In this case, however, there was no argument.The value and spiritual significance of Akwiten to the Maliseet peopleis vastly greater than any possible value it could have in Ireland,where it would just be another foreign artefact among many. NUI Galwayrecognised this quickly and did the decent thing. So did public figuresin Ireland, including Eamon Ó Cuiv and Michael D. Higgins, whocontacted the Maliseet to indicate their support.
You mentioned the Book of Kells. This is a fair parallel in terms ofsignificance but not in terms of repatriation. Iona and Kells were partof the same culture and wider monastic community. By contrast, Akwitenmoved from one very distinct culture to another. Furthermore, theMaliseet claim that it was one of three canoes stolen at the timebefore coming into the possession—possibly through a third party—of theBritish officer who took it to Ireland. To answer your question: Wheredoes it all stop? Every repatriation request is unique and has to bejudged on its own particular merits.—Yours etc.
GERRY McALISTER
Irish Studies Programme
St Thomas University
Fredericton, New Brunswick

On this Day

April 25

1922 Commandant O’Neill, 3rd Cork Brigade IRA, was shot dead at the home of a Protestant family in Bandon, Co. Cork. In a series of unattributed reprisals, thirteen Protestant civilians were shot dead in the surrounding area over the following four days.
1920 RIC Sergeant Cornelius Crean, brother of the explorer Tom Crean, was killed by the IRA in an ambush near Upton, Co. Cork.
1870 Daniel Maclise (64), history and portrait painter who worked for most of his life in London, died.
1719 The life and strange adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe was published.
1819 Vere Foster, philanthropist and educationist, born in Copenhagen, where his Irish-born father was British minister.
1987 Lord Justice Gibson and his wife were killed by an IRA bomb as they crossed the border south of Newry, Co. Down.
1917 Ella Fitzgerald, jazz singer, born in Newport News, Virginia.
1922 Commandant O’Neill of the third Cork Brigade IRA was shot dead at the home of a Protestant family in Bandon, Co. Cork. In a series of unattributed reprisals, thirteen Protestant civilians were shot dead in the surrounding area between 26 and 29 April.
1915 During the First World War, Allied troops landed on Turkey’s Gallipoli Peninsula. The disastrous Gallipoli campaign, ending in January 1916, cost 46,000 Allied lives, including over 2,295 Irishmen.

‘Akwiten’ canoe

Personal Histories

On this Day

April 25