Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)

In the late 1980s through 1990, the Association played a key role in obtaining the enactment of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a federal law that provides graves protection for federal and Tribal lands, mandates repatriation of Ancestors, their burial belongings and sacred objection and cultural patrimony from federal agencies and any institution that has been in receipt of federal funds. 

​The Association has been very involved in the implementation of NAGPRA, having facilitated repatriation of almost 2,000 human remains to Dakota Nations, as well as filing amicus briefs in NAGPRA cases, writing legal analyses of NAGPRA for Tribal and public use, providing NAGPRA training, and filing comments on proposed regulations.

We also provide NAGPRA specific training as part of our Annual Repatriation Conference. 

Video Narrated by former Association Executive Director Jack Trope

NAGPRA Regulations 

On July 8, 2021, the Department of the Interior invited Tribal leaders and Native Hawaiian Community leaders to consult on a draft proposal of a comprehensive revision of the NAGPRA regulations. The deadline for Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian leaders to submit written comments was September 30, 2021. 

The Association on American Indian Affairs submitted these comprehensive comments to the Department of Interior regarding the draft regulations. You can download them here or read them below.