Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges

DOCUMENT Citation Only Krystiana Krupa.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. The January 2024 revisions to the implementing regulations of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA) were a response to long-standing concerns that Federally-recognized Tribes have expressed over inadequacies in the NAGPRA compliance process. While the new regulations were undoubtedly a...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Christopher Caseldine.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Expertise in NAGPRA has been traditionally gained through hands-on experience. Personal reflections published in books, lectures, webinars, workshops, the NAGPRA community of practice, and National NAGPRA all provided insights, but the process is often mystifying for those starting out. Recognizing the need for more...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Kate Compton-Gore.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Despite the decades old regulatory requirement under NAGPRA for museums and institutions to report known hazards such as pesticides, very few policies or procedures exist that address hazards, or ensure that potential or remaining toxins not escape notice. Although guidelines and recommendations addressed the issue in the...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Abigail Musch.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Archaeology greatly contributed to the presence of Native American ancestral remains held in museum and university collections, and recently has been engaged in discussions about the ethical engagement with these collections. An important step in this discussion is to consider how the NAGPRA law, which has been in effect...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Megan Kleeschulte.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law that was passed in 1990. In the 30 years since the law was passed it has faced resistance and scrutiny from the museums, universities, and scientists who are meant to comply with the law. The medicolegal system (Medical Examiners and...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Zoe Milburn.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. At the 2024 meeting, data relating to NAGPRA compliance were collected from the membership during a poster presentation, an IRB approved digital survey, and ethnographic interviews. The survey sought to quantify and clarify barriers faced during the NAGPRA process. This presentation will present the results from more than...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Jennifer Haas.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. This paper examines the initial implementation of the revised NAGPRA regulations, effective January 2024, within the Archaeological Research Laboratory Center at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The updated regulations introduce new definitions for NAGPRA items, such as “cultural items,” and include a duty of care...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Carlton Shield Chief Gover.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Navigating the complexities of university bureaucracy to ensure compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) requires more than just legal adherence; it demands a collaborative process rooted in respect and partnership with Native American communities. This presentation explores the...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Sarah Shepard.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. Intentional and thorough NAGPRA efforts illustrate the prevalence of archaeological material removed from the same sites, and even from the same excavation events, that is now scattered among institutions. Provenance research and communicating with state archaeological surveys or organizations can reveal collecting and...

DOCUMENT Citation Only Delaney McNulty.

This is an abstract from the "Four Decades of NAGPRA, Part 1: Accomplishments and Challenges" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. This submission explores the right to destroy cultural property, which is a distinctive aspect of Native American cultural sovereignty embedded in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The right to destroy is an understudied but recognized property right; when property becomes distinguished as...