Dear Randy,
My name is Jan Bernstein and I've been working with museums and Indian
tribes on museum collection repatriation since the mid 1980s. You might be
familiar with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, it
applies to museums (entities that receive Federal funds and are in the
possession of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred
objects, and objects of cultural patrimony). If the Patterson House at
Ardenwood Farms receives Federal funds, even indirectly (as a city museum)
and it takes possession of the human remains, then Ardenwood will be
required to comply with NAGPRA. That mean consultation with Indian tribes,
writing a NAGPRA section 5 human remains inventory and a notice of inventory
completion that gets published in the Federal Register. A section 6 summary
may also be required if any of the other items in the collection could be
sacred, cultural patrimony, or unassociated funerary objects.
You've already started the inventory compliance process by consulting with
an Indian tribe that may be culturally affiliated with the human remains.
If you want to give me a call 303-894-0648 I would be happy to help you
develop a plan to complete the process.
If the Museum already took possession of the remains, you should go through
the NAGPRA process before they are transferred to the Indian tribe.
The National NAGPRA Program administers NAGPRA compliance. That web site is
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nagpra/ You'll find a copy of the law, which I urge
you to read.
Best regards,
Jan
*********************
Jan I. Bernstein, President
Bernstein & Associates
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Specialists
1041 Lafayette Street
Denver, CO 80218
303-894-0648
fax 303-861-2642
[log in to unmask]
www.NAGPRA.biz
[log in to unmask] (alternate)
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 18:15:47 -0800
From: Randy Hees <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Native American Remains
Our house museum is in the process of receiving a significant collection
of furniture, books, documents, and small artifacts related to an
adjoining 19th century farm. Included are two skulls, which the verbal
tradition suggests were removed from a local shell mound associated with
a Native American village on our site. Additionally the collection
includes arrow heads, grinding stones, and other items associated with
the shell mound. Intermixed are items which appear to be Alaskan in
origin, including fossil walrus tusks, some decorated, some not. Our
area and our house and the family have a long relationship with Alaska
mining, going back to the 1880's.
We have contacted the local representative of the tribe related to the
skulls, and expect to surrender them for appropriate care (the local
tribal representative has a very good reputation)
Can anyone suggest reference reading to help us deal with the issues
related to these items.
Randy Hees
Patterson House at Ardenwood Farm
City of Fremont, California
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