Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" at the 90th 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 their belongings subject to NAGPRA, the organizers have developed a three-part series for this year's meeting. This session, Part I, focuses primarily on the accomplishments made by practitioners and tribal partners as well as discussing the challenges faced in implementing NAGPRA. Topics range from compliance-focused efforts, especially in light of the recently updated NAGPRA regulations, to the rights of tribal nations in making the best decisions for their Ancestors and cultural heritage materials. The session will feature a Q&A period in order to discuss these efforts with session attendees.