SALAMANCA, N.Y. — The Seneca Nation of Indians is once again in possession of an important artifact to its culture, one that it has not held for nearly 125 years.
On Monday the Buffalo History Museum formally turned over the Red Jacket Peace Medal. The museum came into possession of the medal in the late 1800's, when the estate of Red Jacket's last known relative sold it to the museum.
Last October the Seneca Nation made a formal request for its return.
A repatriation ceremony was held at the Onöhsagwë:de' Cultural Center in Salamanca for the approximately 7 inch medal made of silver, and presented to Red Jacket by George Washington in 1792, in recognition of Red Jacket's efforts to broker talks between the United States and the Seneca which lead to the Canandaigua treaty.
It depicts Washington shaking hands with Red Jacket, and Red Jacket is said to have worn it for any portrait he sat for.
“This medal represents what lives inside each and every Seneca – the heart of a sovereign people and our rightful recognition as such,” said Seneca Nation President Matthew B. Pagels. “This is our identity as a Nation. It cannot be owned, bought or sold. It belongs to all of us and is passed from generation to generation so it can live forever.”
What brought this all about, was the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act recognizing objects like the Red Jacket Medal as culturally important to a tribal nation – rather than property owned by an individual. Federal law mandates that the medal cannot belong to any individual or museum, but to the Seneca Nation.
“The importance of returning these artifacts to their rightful custodians is also a tremendous opportunity,” U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said in a congratulatory letter to the Nation. “It is incumbent upon all of us to ensure the contributions to our national culture and heritage are preserved and well-understood. The vibrant thread the Seneca Nation has woven into our national tapestry deserves to be celebrated. The repatriation of Red Jacket’s medal is a significant cause for celebration."