Abstract
In late August 2022, the University of North Dakota announced that in searching for various Native American artifacts that had previously been on display in the campus library, they uncovered dozens of human remains stored in cardboard boxes. No one could explain how the remains had come to occupy such an ignominious corner of the library storeroom, but all parties involved agreed that the remains were those of Native Americans, once collected or donated to the University. Thanks to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) of 1990, all institutions receiving federal funds, including museums and universities, are required to create an inventory of all Indigenous collections and work to return any remains, religious items, and items with questionable provenance to tribes and their descendants with a connection to those items and remains. But, as the case at the University of North Dakota illustrates, the goal of repatriation has fallen woefully short. This study aims to look at a few select cases of repatriation at the University of North Dakota and the Burke Museum in the state of Washington to determine the successes and failures of NAGPRA. Have institutions created the required inventories? Have they changed their requirements for collection and display of artifacts? And most importantly, have they developed relationships with local and affected tribes and tribal representatives to foster communication and inclusion for Indigenous people in the academic and museum worlds?
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2023 Special Focus—Museum Transformations: Pathways to Community Engagement
KEYWORDS
Native American, NAGPRA, Repatriation, Indigenous
