When the First Nations and Inuit Cultural Education Centres program was established in 1971–1972, it was a visionary, determined response by Chiefs and Elders to the 1969 Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian Policy (The White Paper Policy). It marked the formal beginning of a proactive process to reclaim and ensure the survival of First Nations languages and cultures. As the Chiefs and Elders clearly understood, the cornerstone of a vibrant, healthy society is one where culture, with ancestral language at its heart, is alive; culture must transcend and be incorporated in all facets of daily living. Connection to the ancestral past is critical to ensuring that the present will be constructed on a solid foundation of respect, opportunity, and hope. Connection of youth with the wisdom keepers, the Elders, is also central to ensuring continuity of ancestral knowledge. There are now 87 First Nations Cultural Education Centres in Canada that serve more than 350 First Nations communities. These centres have had a tremendous impact on the maintenance of First Nations cultures and ancestral languages. A number have established keeping-houses, museums, and, in some cases, display centres that enable communities to display objects and formulate display narratives from a First Nations understanding — part of a broader contextual sharing of a First Nations world view. Housing, display, and preservation of cultural objects have been the subject of much discussion at the community level. This has included each community developing its own approaches for the cultural objects housed in its institution, but also developing meaningful relationships with mainstream cultural institutions. Having these Cultural Education Centres and collections professionally managed is currently a challenge, as the necessary financial and human resources are often lacking. This is a conundrum that can be addressed only through greater respect, understanding, and dialogue between First Nations communities and mainstream cultural institutions.