9th Annual Repatriation Conference: 
​Building a New Fire

This Conference is the leading International and Domestic Repatriation gathering regarding protecting and repatriating Native cultural heritage. The presenters who graciously share their experiences and expertise are the heart of our Annual Repatriation Conference. The 9th Annual Conference is hosted by the Citizen Potawatomi Nation at the Grand Resort & Hotel in Shawnee, Oklahoma on November 7, 8, & 9, 2023.

Help Us Explore the Theme: Building a New Fire

Things have changed. Repatriation – the return of Native Ancestors and their burial items, as well as the return of tangible and intangible cultural heritage – has changed. If your institution, agency or uncle is holding sensitive Native items without the consent and direction from Native Nations, then you are on the wrong side of history. The Safeguarding Objects of Cultural Patrimony Act has been signed into law, a brand-new version of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act regulations are in the process of being final, and institutions are being called out for failing to repatriate. It is time for us to come together and build a new fire that will elevate our collective healing from this theft against humanity and human rights. We must re-commit to working together and pass forward intergenerational healing, so that we are no longer holding on to the traumas of our past. We all have a place around this new fire. Won’t you help us to build it?
 
The Association welcomes Conference attendees for this three day hybrid interactive event that will provide educational opportunities through keynote speakers, training, workshops and interactive panels, and special cultural events. The Conference is intended for Native Nation and Native Hawaiian organization leaders, practitioners, Elders and representatives, museums, institutions, government agencies, academics, attorneys, collectors, artists, cultural preservationists, and others engaged or interested in the return and reinvigoration of diverse Native cultures.  ​​

SUBMISSION PERIOD CLOSED

Application Requirements

Panel presentations must meet the following criteria:
  1. Show connection to the Conference theme, Building A New Fire. See description above.
  2. Add value to repatriation practice and cultural heritage protection by providing new and interesting information about repatriation efforts – whether those efforts are pursuant to NAGPRA, international repatriation, trafficking, private collections and the sale of cultural heritage, Sacred places, return of tangible or intangible cultural heritage, which could include language, items, knowledge, seeds, or efforts taking place to protect Native cultural heritage domestically or abroad.
  3. Describe how the presentation will be interactive, share tools and information, and involve the audience to develop skills, strategies, networks and collaborative efforts.
  4. Provides respectful dialogue, even where disagreement may exist.
  5. Includes anti-racism, a social justice component, decolonization, de-systemizing, or truth-telling.
  6. Involves collaborative efforts among diverse parties.
  7. Provides take-away tools to achieve successful repatriation.
  8. Presentations cannot be “business development” presentations, which generally serves to promote an entity or a company’s work; all presentations must share “how to” information and tools so we can all learn successful repatriation and cultural heritage protection practice.
Example sessions may include:
  • Repatriation success stories or case studies that inspire and guide future efforts
  • Decolonizing NAGPRA/Repatriation of culture
  • NAGPRA compliance efforts
  • Changing research practices and methods of inquiry
  • Rematriation/seed keeping
  • Building best practices
  • Identifying and moving beyond barriers to repatriation
  • Consultation and negotiation strategies
  • Inter-Tribal coalition building
  • International repatriation
  • Legal strategies
  • Effective tactics in the return of private collections
  • Repatriation of intangible cultural heritage

How to Apply

The following information will be required when submitting:
  • The title of the session;
  • The type of proposed session (Workshop, Panel, Roundtable, Other);
  • The name, affiliation or title, and email addresses for each session participant;
  • A brief abstract of the session for the program (not to exceed 100 words);
  • A detailed description of the session (not to exceed 500 words);
  • Learning outcomes (two to three statements, 100 words max)
  • How much time is needed for the panel or workshop (a typical session will be 90 minutes long, which should include a 20-minute question and answer period or open discussion. However, shorter, or longer sessions may also be proposed.)
  • Proposal history (if presentation was used in a past conference).
SUBMISSION PERIOD CLOSED

What to Expect

Presentations will be reviewed by the Conference Planning Committee and selected based on their relevancy to the theme of the Conference and ability to meet the requirements. After your presentation is submitted, you may be contacted for further information or revisions. The Planning Committee may ask that your session be amended to support the Conference agenda and theme. Decisions on panel sessions will be finalized on or before Friday, July 7, and sent via email to the main contact on the submission form.
 
Once accepted, all presenters must provide the following information:
  • Provide all final titles and descriptions of the session, and names, biographies, and photos, of all panel members by Friday, July 28;
  • All presenters must register for the in-person Conference by Friday, September 29. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we are offering FREE registration for all speakers attending in-person.
  • The Conference may be unable to accommodate virtual speakers. If you are unable to attend in-person, please do not submit a conference presentation. Any virtual speakers (because they are international or there is an emergency) may be required to pay the virtual registration fee.
  • Presenters that do not provide information or fail to register timely will be removed from the Conference program.​
Please note: this is a public conference and all sessions will be recorded for educational purposes.

Contact

Contact the Association at general@Indian-Affairs.org or call 240-314-7155 if you have questions.