In Search of Solutions: Exploring Pathways to Repatriation for NAGPRA Practitioners (Part III)

Part of: Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "In Search of Solutions: Exploring Pathways to Repatriation for NAGPRA Practitioners (Part III)" at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Now in its fourth decade, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) remains one of the most important legislative acts shaping the discipline of archaeology today. To adequately discuss the range of topics and provide examples and case studies incorporating shifting discourses of repatriation, policies, and collections management concerning Ancestors and objects subject to NAGPRA, the Committee on Museums, Collections, and Curation and the Curation Interest group have arranged a five-part series. This session discusses the long path to repatriation and the evolving needs of care for Ancestors and objects that fall under NAGPRA. While Western ideas about curation and acceptable archival practices may be partially adequate, it is necessary to incorporate Indigenous voices and decision-making into the everyday choices that are made regarding their cultural heritage. This is particularly relevant as proposed regulation changes to NAGPRA include language regarding an institution’s duty of care to ancestral remains and cultural items. This session brings together a diverse array of voices to discuss how to respectfully curate this sensitive cultural heritage.

Other Keywords
Collections • Museums • and Repatriation • Conservation and Curation • Indigenous • Cultural Resources and Heritage Management

Geographic Keywords
United States of America (Country) • North America (Continent) • North America • United Mexican States (Country) • Department of Martinique (Country) • Republic of El Salvador (Country) • Department of Guadeloupe (Country) • Cayman Islands (Country) • Antigua and Barbuda (Country) • Turks and Caicos Islands (Country)

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  • Documents (7)
Documents
  • Caring for Ancestors and Their Belongings in Museum Settings (2024)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Maria Martinez.

    This is an abstract from the "In Search of Solutions: Exploring Pathways to Repatriation for NAGPRA Practitioners (Part III)" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. In light of the newly proposed Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) regulation concerning “Duty of Care,” this talk hopes to assist you and your institution (regional or national) to navigate and implement best practices for the curation of historical/ethnographic,...

  • Changing Curation Practices When Indigenous Voices Are Included (2024)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Candace Sall.

    This is an abstract from the "In Search of Solutions: Exploring Pathways to Repatriation for NAGPRA Practitioners (Part III)" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Curation practices changed at museums as human remains and funerary objects went from being seen by practitioners as scientific specimen to individuals. When this happens, how the individuals are handled and cared for changes as well. Consulting with Tribal Nations about the care of...

  • Considerations for Your Stewardship Journey: The Indigenous Collections Care Guide as a Resource (2024)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Laura Bryant. Marla Taylor. Laura Elliff Cruz.

    This is an abstract from the "In Search of Solutions: Exploring Pathways to Repatriation for NAGPRA Practitioners (Part III)" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Museums and academic institutions are beginning to reexamine their collections stewardship and daily practice by inviting Indigenous voices and perspectives into the conversation. This is becoming particularly relevant with the proposed addition of duty of care to the NAGPRA regulations....

  • A Federal Framework to Integrate Native American Traditions in the Care of Ancestors and Cultural Property Held in Museum Collections (2024)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Emily Palus.

    This is an abstract from the "In Search of Solutions: Exploring Pathways to Repatriation for NAGPRA Practitioners (Part III)" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Federal agencies and repositories holding federal collections have been bound to curation standards often developed without consideration for nontangible values and needs and a legacy of collecting practices intended to preserve the past yet uninformed by the interests and concerns of...

  • NAGPRA at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (2024)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Jennifer Haas. Adrienne Frie. Kevin Garski.

    This is an abstract from the "In Search of Solutions: Exploring Pathways to Repatriation for NAGPRA Practitioners (Part III)" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. This paper provides a case study of NAGPRA implementation within the University of Wisconsin System focusing on two institutions: the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Both institutions have long-standing programs of Midwest archaeology, within their...

  • Normalizing Culturally Informed Collections Stewardship (2024)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Nicolette Meister.

    This is an abstract from the "In Search of Solutions: Exploring Pathways to Repatriation for NAGPRA Practitioners (Part III)" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Culturally informed stewardship takes a holistic and culturally inclusive approach to the preservation, access, and use of cultural items, records, and images. It acknowledges that curation and care are political acts and that the stewards of cultural collections must do more than simply...

  • Perspectives, Policies, and Practices: How Thoughtful NAGPRA Implementation Can Change Everything (2024)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Kellie Bowers. John Robert Elmore, III.

    This is an abstract from the "In Search of Solutions: Exploring Pathways to Repatriation for NAGPRA Practitioners (Part III)" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. The Alabama Department of Archives and History has actively engaged in NAGPRA compliance work since 2018. In that time our NAGPRA and indigenous collections care policies have changed as our perspectives have grown and been shaped by consultation and relationship building with tribal partners...