This fantastic mask of Sasq'ets (Bigfoot), belonging to British Columbia's Sts'ailes First Nation and missing for 75 years, was recently returned after it was surprisingly easily located in the Vancouver Museum. From the Vancouver Sun:
(James) Leon was at a repatriation event for another First Nations artifact held by the Vancouver Museum when he asked the lady sitting beside him if she knew of the ape-like mask partially covered in bear fur.
"Her eyes lit up and she said 'We were just looking at that mask the other day.' And they were gracious enough to go get it for me," he said with a chuckle…
Community elders told Leon that the mask had been taken by J.W. Burns, a teacher at the Chehalis Indian Day School, and a man obsessed with the sasquatch legend.
Burns, who is often credited for bringing the word "sasquatch" into common use, donated the mask to the Vancouver Museum.
"Mask associated with sasquatch lore returned to B.C. First Nation"
