U'mista Cultural Society
The potlatch was banned in Canada between 1885 and 1951. The masks and other regalia that you can see here were confiscated after an illegal potlatch in 1921. After the ban was lifted, the Kwakwa̱ka̱'wakw people fought for decades for the return of their sacred regalia that had ended up in museum and private collections around the world. Most of the regalia has come home and it is shown here at the U'mista Cultural Centre and at the Nuyumbalees Museum.
The U'mista Cultural Society was incorporated under the British Columbia Societies Act on March 22, 1974. Since that time, it has worked towards fulfilling the mandate to ensure the survival of all aspects of cultural heritage of the Kwakwaka'wakw. To facilitate the accomplishment of this mandate, the Board of Directors, composed of any person who is an individual, family of honorary member and can trace ancestry to a member of any tribe of the Kwakwaka'wakw, is responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring all policy.
