Community Notices
The University of Alberta Museums works closely with members of the community, both on and off the University of Alberta campus. From art commissions to return of cultural property, the University of Alberta Museums is dedicated to collaborating with colleagues and communities on a variety of projects.
Notices for the Community
Public Notice - February 2, 2026
UPDATE: This process is now closed. Discussions proceed with groups having submitted claims within the notice period.
The purpose of this public notice is to
- Publicly disclose that the University of Alberta has received repatriation claims for the Medicine Hat Ancestors, believed to have Indigenous ancestry, and
- Notify other Indigenous Nations or Indigenous communities, who believe they have a repatriation claim to the Ancestors, of their right to also submit a formal repatriation claim.
Information on how to make a claim is provided below. Please submit all required information by the deadline (prior to 5:00 pm MT on April 3, 2026) or your claim will not be considered in the claims process.
The Medicine Hat Ancestors Reburial Project (2022 - September 2025)
The Medicine Hat Ancestors Reburial Project (MHARP) was formed in partnership with the University of Alberta, City of Medicine Hat, and Miywasin Friendship Centre in 2022. The project aims to coordinate the reburial of three Ancestors removed from the Medicine Hat area in 1967 and have since been cared for at the University of Alberta. A reburial is the process of returning human remains to the land.
The MHARP’s goal is to ensure that the Ancestors are reburied in a good, respectful, and transparent way. Collaboration with Indigenous Nations and communities that may have been in the Medicine Hat area when the Ancestors were first buried has been essential. Community engagement and transparent communication are a priority and ongoing commitment for the project.
Through non-invasive research conducted by the University of Alberta, it has been determined that several Nations could have relationships to the Ancestors. It is not possible for the University of Alberta to ethically evaluate these connections further because that would require using additional, more invasive methods.
After many engagement sessions, the MHARP determined that it would be most inclusive and respectful for the Ancestors to be reburied near their original resting place, which is in the city of Medicine Hat. This decision was made in an effort to respect each Nation’s relationship to the Medicine Hat area and the Ancestors. A location was designated within Hillside Cemetery for the reburial, as was suggested during these engagement sessions.
More information about the Ancestors and the MHARP can be found at medicinehat.ca.
Repatriation Claims Received (September 2025 - Present)
Since September 2025, two repatriation claims to the Ancestors have been made, one by the Carry the Kettle Nakota First Nation and one by Otipemisiwak Métis Government, Métis Nation within Alberta. Repatriation differs from reburial because it means returning belongings or human remains to the communities they came from. A reburial does not determine or confirm a cultural tie to a community, but it allows us to return the Ancestors to the land from which they came.
As current stewards of the Ancestors, the University of Alberta is providing notice that it intends to facilitate and support a resolution of the repatriation claims between the current claimants and any further claimants. The University of Alberta is committed to working in a transparent manner with our MHARP partners, and all other involved Indigenous Nations and Indigenous communities.
How to Make a Claim
If your Nation wishes to make a repatriation claim to the Ancestors, we require that your Nation identify an individual who will be the University of Alberta’s point of contact going forward for this process (the “Named Representative”). The Named Representative must have the written support and authorization from the leadership of your Nation and must not be employed, or contracted, by the University of Alberta, the City of Medicine Hat, or Miywasin Friendship Centre, as this would constitute a conflict of interest.
We require two (2) means of communication for your Nation’s authorized, Named Representative (e.g., phone number and email address, or email address and mailing address) in order to communicate directly with your Nation’s Named Representative throughout the process. The name of your Nation’s Named Representative, their contact information, and written support of leadership must be sent directly to the University of Alberta, care of Christine Conciatori, prior to 5:00 p.m. (MT) on April 3, 2026. If your Nation fails to provide all of the required information by that date and time, your Nation’s claim will be deemed to have been abandoned and withdrawn, and its claim will not be considered further in the claims process.
Communication from the University of Alberta regarding claims to the Ancestors will come from Christine Conciatori, Director, University of Alberta Museums. Any communication regarding your claim must come from your Nation’s Named Representative and be sent to Ms. Conciatori via email at museums@ualberta.ca.
Members of the public, or community representatives with questions, concerns, or inquiries, are also invited to please contact Christine Conciatori during this notice period, from February 2, 2026, until April 3, 2026.
Christine Conciatori
Director, University of Alberta Museums