Native Nations have never given up their inherent sovereignty over their cultural heritage.
The looting and trafficking of Native Ancestors and their burial belongings from their resting places, and the illicit trading and collecting of sacred objects and cultural heritage is an abuse of Indigenous human rights recognized by Articles 11 and 12 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
We have built a national and international effort assisting Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples in the United States with domestic and international repatriation. As experts in repatriation, we can help can help individuals, Native Nations, collectors, museums and auction houses protect Native cultural heritage.
We have built a national and international effort assisting Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples in the United States with domestic and international repatriation. As experts in repatriation, we can help can help individuals, Native Nations, collectors, museums and auction houses protect Native cultural heritage.
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Follow our latest repatriation work here, including free video training.
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We offer policy development, technical assistance, community building and an annual Repatriation Conference.
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Links to our Auction and Collection Education, Cultural Heritage Laws, International Repatriation and Boarding Schools pages.
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Repatriation
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Repatriation is the return of Indigenous Ancestral remains, their burial belongings, and sacred and cultural objects back to their original Nations and lineal descendants. All of these types of tangible cultural heritage belong to Native Nations and are the national patrimony of those Nations. There is no individual or entity that has the authority to remove these items from the Nation. Only the free, prior and informed consent from the Native Nation can transfer ownership of these sensitive items to someone else.
ABC News LiveIn November 2024, our CEO and Attorney, Shannon O'Loughlin, was featured in an ABC News segment highlighting repatriation efforts. As experts in this critical work, we remain committed every day to returning Ancestors and sacred items to their rightful Nations.
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Our Work
Starting at Home: How Universities Can Use NAGPRA to Rebuild Relationships Inside and Out
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Museums and universities are the change agents that can ultimately transform how NAGPRA is implemented to fulfill the human rights mission of the law to benefit Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples. This webinar will examine how NAGPRA compliance allows institutions to reimagine their internal team and grow a community of support within the institution, while building genuine and transparent relationships with Native Nations. These efforts will not only fulfill our legal obligations, they help to right historical wrongs. Universities and museums, including the Longyear Museum of Anthropology at Colgate University in New York, can comply with NAGPRA while supporting their purpose of appropriately educating the public through strategies that fulfill the letter of the law.
Panelists from the Longyear Museum of Anthropology, Colgate University including: Summer Frazier, Eel Clan, Onondaga Nation, Curatorial Assistant Lisa Latocha, Wolf Clan, Oneida Indian Nation, Community Liaison Rebecca Mendelsohn, Co-Director of University Museums, Curator Kelsey Olney-Wall, Repatriation Manager |
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How We Can Help
We have built a national and international effort assisting Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples in the United States with domestic and international repatriation. We have been a national leader advocating for the repatriation of Native American cultural heritage since our founding.
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Policy Development
We contribute to the development of legislation and progressive policy and has provided advocacy for the creation and passage of the National Museum of the American Indian Act, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, PROTECT Patrimony Resolution, and the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony (STOP) Act. Technical Assistance We develop training and technical assistance for Tribes, museums and practitioners, including our Annual Repatriation Conference and webinars on topics including domestic and international repatriation, developing Tribal laws and implementing a repatriation program, and creating strategies to obtain repatriation from private collectors domestically and internationally. Community We provide a centralized space for traditionalists, Tribal cultural preservation specialists and other experts to collaborate on best practices and create usable guides and templates for others in its Repatriation Working Group. Conference The Association has a recognized and established annual conference on Repatriation. |
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Resources
To learn more, visit these other pages on our website.
