Indigenous collections

Many materials have been used by Indigenous peoples to craft objects, from functional household items to intricate jewellery, carvings and statues. Objects that are sacred and culturally sensitive require special considerations. With proper care, these objects can be enjoyed for many years. The following resources provide information and advice on how to care for Indigenous collections.

Preventive conservation guidelines for collections

• Caring for basketry and plant materials
• Caring for feathers, quills, horn and other keratinous materials
• Caring for leather, skin and fur
• Caring for sacred and culturally sensitive objects

Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) Notes

• N6/1 Care of Ivory, Bone, Horn and Antler (1988)
• N6/2 Care of Basketry (1988)
• N6/3 Care of Canoes, Kayaks and Umiaks (1989)
• N6/4 Care of Objects Decorated with Glass Beads (1994)
• N6/5 Care of Quillwork (1991)
• N6/7 Totem Poles Displayed Indoors (2008)
• N6/8 Totem Poles Displayed Outside (2008)
• N6/9 Care of Inuit Carvings (2016)
• N8/4 Care of Rawhide and Semi-Tanned Leather (1992)

Other CCI resources on this topic

• Preserving Aboriginal Heritage: Technical and Traditional Approaches (2007)

Related CCI resources

• Agents of deterioration
• Basic requirements of preventive conservation
• Handling heritage objects

External links

• Storage Supports for Basket Collections (PDF format) (Conserve O Gram 5/1, 1993)
• Storage Mounts for Feathered Headdresses and Soft-Sided Hats and Caps (PDF format) (Conserve O Gram 5/2, 1993)
• Internal Supports for Buckskin Clothing Storage (PDF format) (Conserve O Gram 5/3, 2011)
• Byne's "Disease:" How To Recognize, Handle and Store Affected Shells and Related Collections (PDF format) (Conserve O Gram 11/15, 2008)
• A Guide to Guardians of Iwi Treasures (PDF format) (Te Papa National Services)
• Bone, Antler, Ivory, and Teeth (PDF format) (Minnesota Historical Society)
• Indigenous people and museums (National Museums of Australia)
• Ivory, Bone, Antler and Horn (Pitt Rivers Museum)
• National NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service)
• Quills, Horn, Hair, Feathers, Claws, and Baleen (PDF format) (Minnesota Historical Society)
• Task Force Report on Museums and First Peoples (PDF format) (Canadian Museums Association and Assembly of First Nations, 1994)
• The Care and Handling of Ivory Objects (Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute)
• The Care of Feathers (PDF format) (Bishop Museum)
• Traditional Care (National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institute)