ANT 102, November 19 th Today’s topic: Relations between Native Americans and Archaeologists rts of today’s lecture n and conflict between Native Americans and archaeologists prior to 990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA): ossible resolution to the conflict. ple perspectives (positive, negative, Native American, archaeologica
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ANT 102, November 19th
Today’s topic:
Relations between Native Americans and Archaeologists
Three parts of today’s lecture
1) Tension and conflict between Native Americans and archaeologists prior to 1990
2) The 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA): a possible resolution to the conflict.
3) Multiple perspectives (positive, negative, Native American, archaeological) on NAGPRA
1) Tension and conflict between Native Americans and archaeologists prior to 1990
--Ways of knowing the past
Native American disagreements with archaeologists
--Desecration of graves
Ales Hrdlicka
KodiakIsland
American Museum of Natural History
American Indian Movement (AIM) occupationof Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay
Vine Deloria, Jr.
American Indian Movement (AIM) occupation of Wounded Knee
NAGPRA: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (1990)
NAGPRA does two things for Native Americans
1) Protects Graves
2) Repatriates (returns) bones and sacred objects to tribes
Senator John McCain: “I believe this bill represents a true compromise…In the end, eachparty had to give a little in order to strike a balance and to resolve these very difficultemotional issues…I believe this legislation effectively balances the interest of NativeAmericans in the rightful and respectful return of their ancient ancestors with theinterests of our nation’s museums in maintaining our rich cultural heritage, the heritageof all American peoples.”
1) Graves protection
--Any archaeology project on federal land or using federal funding must consult withthe nearest native American tribe if any Native American ruins are to be studied
--If graves are found on such a project, Native Americans determine what to do.
2) Repatriation
Step 1: museums inventory their collections, studying all Native American bones andsacred objects
Step 2: museums inform tribes of the Native American bones and sacred objects intheir collections.
Step 3: A Native American tribe requests that bones or objects be repatriated.
Pecos pueblo,occupied 1000 AD,
abandoned 1838 AD
Jemez pueblo, 1882
2) Repatriation
Step 1: museums inventory their collections, studying all Native American bones andsacred objects
Step 2: museums inform tribes of the Native American bones and sacred objects intheir collections.
Step 3: A Native American tribe requests that bones or objects be repatriated.
Step 4: If necessary, the request goes to court to decide if there is cultural affiliationbetween the tribe and the bones and/or objects.
What determines cultural affiliation? preponderance of evidence (51%)
What counts as evidence?
Archaeology, genetics, skeletal biology, written history, oral history, language, geography.
What evidence is given the most weight? All forms of evidence carry equal weight
Example of a questionable case of cultural affiliation: Kennewick Man
Skull of Kennewick Man/The Ancient One
Forensics expert’sRepresentation of Kennewick Man/The Ancient One
Shore of Columbia River whereKennewick man was found
stock photo of two college students
James Chatters(coroner/archaeologist)
Neo-pagans of European descent who wanted the skeleton for themselves
Chatters
Bonnichsen
Douglas Minthorn, Umatilla Tribe
Bonnichsen (and others) vs. The United States
2) Repatriation
Step 1: museums inventory their collections, studying all Native American bones andsacred objects
Step 2: museums inform tribes of the Native American bones and sacred objects intheir collections.
Step 3: A Native American tribe requests that bones or objects be repatriated.
Step 4: If necessary, the request goes to court to decide if there is cultural affiliationbetween the tribe and the bones and/or objects.
Step 5: Once cultural affiliation is demonstrated, the tribe gets their stuff back from the museum.
NAGPRA as civil rights legislation
Are all affiliated remains always returned to the tribe?
What determines cultural affiliation? preponderance of evidence (51%)
What counts as evidence?
Archaeology, genetics, skeletal biology, written history, oral history, language, geography.
What evidence is given the most weight? All forms of evidence carry equal weight
NO
As McCain said, NAGPRA strikes a balance between Native Americans and archaeologists
Nobody is completely happy
Why would Native Americans be unhappy?
1) NAGPRA only covers skeletons found on federal land
2) Museums are allowed to study human remains before repatriation
3) Very old remains (>1000 years) are usually not covered by NAGPRA
4) Archaeological evidence often does trump other forms of evidence whendiscussing debating cultural affiliation
5) Only federally recognized tribes qualify for repatriation under NAGPRA
As McCain said, NAGPRA strikes a balance between Native Americans and archaeologists
Nobody is completely happy
Why would Archaeologists be unhappy?
1) Archaeologists think that their possession of Native American objects hashelped Native Americans and could continue to help them.
2) NAGPRA permits destruction of evidence
3) NAGPRA elevates native American religious beliefs above the principals of science
4) Cultures change : how can a “Navajo” from 500 years ago be affiliated with a Navajo today?
As McCain said, NAGPRA strikes a balance between Native Americans and archaeologists
Nobody is completely happy
Why would Archaeologists be unhappy?
1) Archaeologists think that their possession of Native American objects hashelped Native Americans and could continue to help them.
2) NAGPRA permits destruction of evidence
3) NAGPRA elevates native American religious beliefs above the principals of science
NAGPRA is not all bad for archaeology.
1) Most skeletal remains are unaffiliated
2) Museums are now forced to catalog and study their skeletons
3) Newly excavated skeletons will receive much better study
4) Curation facilities have improved
5) NAGPRA makes archaeologists more ethical: it is a good thing forarchaeologists to respect civil rights of Native Americans
4) Cultures change : how can a “Navajo” from 500 years ago be affiliated with a Navajo today?
Dorothy Lippert, Choctaw Indian,archaeologist employed by the Smithsonian.
Joe Watkins, Choctaw Indian,University of Oklahoma.
Are the two sides (archaeologists and native Americans) always so different?