SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — A museum in the Inland Empire has righted a wrong by returning items to a local tribe.
The San Bernardino County Museum returned handmade baskets to the San Manuel Band of Indians. The baskets were made years ago by prominent women in the tribe.
“They are direct ancestors and direct grandparents of our elders,“ said Tribal Secretary Johnny Hernandez, Jr. “For these women, their blood, sweat, and tears went into these. We really see them as ancestors. Their spirits are in them.”
The tribe requested to have the baskets repatriated, as they were likely taken from the tribes decades ago. Museum curator Tamara Serrao Leiva said the museum is unsure of how these items were given to the museum, but often items that were collected or donated were actually stolen. She worked with the tribe and Board of Supervisors to return the baskets.
"It’s kind of hard to ignore when someone says, you know, 'That’s my grandma’s,'" Serrao Leiva said. “The ethical priority for us is to return it to its place of origin.”
Serrao Leiva said it’s important for museums to reexamine ownership. Instead of keeping items, they can ask to borrow them and provide a space for tribes to share the story of their ancestors.
“I think the museum is changing a little bit where it’s less of the museum being this authority and telling a story and more about co-creating or facilitating a space for other community groups to tell their own story,” Serrao Leiva said.
A few tribal elders who knew the women who made the baskets have been able to hold them. They said it was healing.
“I was down there with one of our elders and just seeing the healing that comes from that... you see just the tears and how much that means,” Hernandez Jr. said. “Whenever she wants to have the opportunity to be there with her ancestors they are easily accessible now.”
The tribe will offer more basket-making classes within the tribe to retain the craft and share the baskets with more members once it’s safe to do.
“The priority is to get them in front of the tribe, all tribal citizens and families, and just celebrate them,” Hernandez, Jr. said. “Celebrate that they are home.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story indicated the handmade baskets were stolen. The San Bernardino County Museum has clarified it is uncertain the baskets were stolen, although generally that does happen.