After 94 years in Scotland, a Nisga鈥檃 Totem Pole finally returned home in spectacular fashion on Sept. 29.

The pole was stolen while the Nisga鈥檃 were away during their hunting season, eventually reaching the National Museum of Scotland, where it stayed until earlier this month.

Flown by the Canadian Armed Forces from Trenton, Ontario to Terrace, the pole鈥檚 homecoming was celebrated at the national Nisga鈥檃 museum in Laxgalts鈥檃p in the Nass Valley.

First carved in the 1860s, the pole was commissioned by a matriarch to honour her nephew, a fallen soldier whose name is carved in the pole. The matriarch was Sim鈥檕ogit Ni鈥檌sjoohl, Chief Earl Stephens鈥� great-grandmother, bringing an immense sense of pride to Stephens as the pole was re-matriated.

鈥淚t is our ancestor, our great-grandmother. We had to get her back on our home soil,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n Nisg瘫a鈥檃 culture, we believe that this pole is alive with the spirit of our ancestors. After nearly 100 years, we are finally able to bring our dear relative home to rest on Nisga鈥檃 lands.鈥�

Dignitaries from the provincial and federal governments appeared, including Premier David Eby and Daniel Quan-Watson, federal deputy minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations as well as federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh.

The return of the Nisga鈥檃 pole is a perfect example of reconciliation in action, according to Eva Clayton, president of Nisg瘫a鈥檃 Lisims Government.

鈥淭oday was an incredible journey, that alone represents Truth and Reconciliation to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t marks the beginning of true reconciliation when it comes to bringing our ancestors home, bringing home our artifacts that were taken without consent.鈥�

The ceremony was also an important step forward to meaningful reconciliation for Eby

鈥淲ords鈥� are an important aspect of reconciliation,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut actions bring people together, like today.鈥�

The Nisga鈥檃 are a matriarchal society, so the return was an act of re-matration, not repatriation, according to Sigidimnak鈥� Noxs Ts鈥檃awit Amy Parent.

鈥淚t seemed ill-fitting to call this a repatriation,鈥� she said.

A Nisga鈥檃 delegation first arrived in Scotland to have their pole returned 20 years ago, though they were rebuffed swiftly. While the years-long negotiations with the Scottish National Museum were not always smooth, Parent said the process was a learning experience for both sides.

鈥淭here is always going to be a clash when engaging with settler-colonialist institutions and their worldview,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 never the policy itself, it鈥檚 the people behind the policies. And when you begin to make those relationships with people and when you talk about reconciliation, it鈥檚 really about moving those people and their hearts more than their minds to do the right thing.

鈥淲hen we first saw the pole, we could feel it.鈥�

As a worldwide conversation around museums and the return of items acquired by colonial powers to their original owners continues, Parent said this is a win for Indigenous peoples around the world.

鈥淓very time we have success like this it鈥檚 a collective win,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e hope that it is also inspiring and giving colonial institutions further support in terms of doing the right thing in terms of supporting rematriation and repatriation processes.鈥�

The process was an example of 鈥渙pen, honest and productive鈥� dialogue, according to John Divine, head of the Scottish Government Office in Canada.

Nisga鈥檃 leaders agreed that the pole鈥檚 return will provide a perfect educational template for youth in the community, who will 鈥渞emember this day forever.鈥�

The pole is not the only stolen item the community is hoping to see come home. Parent said there are Nisga鈥檃 cultural items in Canadian, French, German and British Museums that they will be seeking in the future.

鈥淭he Nisga鈥檃 are coming.鈥�

Video to come.