Native Remains Nationwide to be Returned from Museums to Tribes

[The Straight Story]

Native Remains Nationwide to be Returned from Museums to Tribes


The Department of the Interior has decided to turn over to Indian tribes and Native Hawaiians the human remains and artifacts currently in possession of museums and natural history collections. Taking effect May 14, the decision includes remains that cannot be traced to a particular tribe or organization. These remains will be given to tribes that had a proven presence on the land from which the remains were taken.

Interior Department officials also announced they are streamlining the process by which it returns remains and artifacts. Previously, the Secretary of the Interior relied on a special review committee to decide how to process requests from tribes. That committee has now been eliminated.

The changes are part of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990, which requires all museums and federal agencies to identify Indian cultural items in their collections. As of last year, the remains of almost 40,000 people have been registered.

In response to the Interior Department rule changes, the University of Michigan said it will return the remains of nearly 1,400 Indians, some of them more than 3,000 years old, to various tribes.

http://www.allgov.com/Controversies/ViewNews/Native_Remains_Nationwide_to_be_Returned_from_Museums_to_Tribes_100329

[hlthe2b]

1. Whatever happened in the lawsuit against Skull & Bones...?

i.e., for return of the presumed skull of Geronimo?

[old mark]

2. I think W used it to keep his pretzels in. nt

[zonkers]

3. Yay, us!

[ensho]

4. good

nt