A war lance and spear are not something typically thrown in the trash, but what looks to be First Nation ceremonial weaponry were discovered in the dumpster behind the Canadian Tire car wash in Okotoks last October.
The ornately beaded weaponry, believed to be First Nations art pieces, were turned in to Okotoks RCMP on Oct. 28, 2010, said Sgt. Ian Shardlow of Okotoks RCMP.
Despite attempts to track down the owners, Shardlow said they have turned up empty-handed so far.
Previous news reports described the unusual findings as First Nations artifacts, but Shardlow said the word “artifact” isn’t entirely accurate.
“When you think of an artifact, it conjures up something that is 200 years old dug out of a hillside,” Shardlow said. “This is not that at all. It’s Native art really, that’s what it is.”
Shardlow described the pieces as “elaborate,” covered with intricate beadwork, leather and feathers.
“They definitely have an Aboriginal flair to it,” he said.
The value of the pieces is unknown, Shardlow said.
Okotoks RCMP recently sent images of the art to Alberta Sweetgrass, an Alberta newspaper which serves the Aboriginal people and communities throughout the province. The newspaper will distribute the images to elders with the hopes they will be able to determine the value and track down the origin of the pieces, he explained.
“This thing might be some Grade 6 kid’s art project for all we know. It could be a novelty item and completely valueless,” he said.
Police are still requesting the public’s assistance in finding the owners, Shardlow said.
“Even if someone comes forward and says, ‘Yeah, it was mine and I didn’t want it,’ then at least we know we’re not throwing away somebody’s valued heirloom,” he said.
RCMP are not releasing photos of the items as they want the owners to be able to describe them in detail before they will be turned over.
If nobody claims the findings, they will likely end up at a museum, Shardlow said.
