Kent Ayoungman of the Blackfoot Federation, (l), holds Blackfoot headdress that was at a thrift store in near Calgary. Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer Philip Maraso (r.) seized the headdress investigating a tip to a poaching hotline. (Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement)
A tip to a poaching hotline has resulted in the discovery of ceremonial Blackfoot headdress worn in the late 1890s in a western Canada thrift shop, according to reports.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement reported Monday that one of its officers did some digging and confirmed the authenticity of the headdress which was made of real golden eagle feathers.
The artifact was returned to Kent Ayoungman of the Blackfoot Confederation, The Canadian Press reported Thursday.
“Over the following months, he will work to restore the headdress to something close to its original condition, so that it can once more fulfill its true purpose and be used in traditional ceremonies,” Alberta government spokeswoman Ina Lucila said, according to the news agency.
There was a note in the thrift shop indicating that the headdress was owned in the late 1890s by a person who worked as a teacher, the news agency reported.
REMAINS FOUND ON BLACKFEET RESERVATION APPEAR HISTORICAL
The tipster spotted the headdress up for auction in a small town near Calgary in June.
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The golden eagle feathers are protected under Alberta’s Wildlife Act, the Okotoksonline.com news website reported.
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