Royal Alberta Museum Returns Over 17,000 Millennia-Old Artifacts to Fort McKay First Nation

The Royal Alberta Museum is handing back more than 17,000 items, some up to 11,000 years old, to the Fort McKay First Nation after confirming they were collected on Indigenous land.

More than 17,000 cultural objects collected north of Fort McMurray in the mid-1970s have been returned by the Royal Alberta Museum to the Fort McKay First Nation. The assemblage, which includes arrowheads, tools, bones and items as old as 11,000 years, originated from the Moose Lake region and was originally sent to the University of Alberta before reaching the museum. After a university student requested access, museum staff recognized the artifacts were taken from First Nation land and therefore belong to the nation under provincial law.

At a ceremony held at the Elsie Fabian School, Chief Raymond Powder highlighted the pieces as a living record of his people’s centuries-long stewardship of the territory. Museum executive director Meaghan Patterson affirmed the institution’s commitment to cultural stewardship, while archaeologist Kurtis Blaikie noted that even modern debris like spent shells and a tin can are valuable for understanding continuous habitation. Educational director Miranda Beaton expressed excitement about displaying the items locally, underscoring their significance for community identity and teaching.