Four museums and historical institutions in Minnesota said they plan to or have returned Native American remains in their collections and are not concealing or altering current displays.
As of January 12th, Updated federal regulations The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) requires museums to obtain consent from tribes before displaying cultural property or using it for research. The American Museum of Natural History in New York closed two major halls displaying Native American artifacts, and the Field Museum in Chicago covered several display cases, among other things.
In Minnesota, he said historical societies and museums are already in compliance.
The Goodhue County Historical Society in Red Wing does not close or hide any exhibits, and all Native American exhibits are approved by the Prairie Island Indian Community or have a Prairie Island Indian Community. He said it was developed in collaboration with the Island Indian community. The Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul also has no plans to do so, but will comply if tribal members come forward and make requests.
The Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis) confirmed that none of its exhibits are affected by the NAGPRA update.
As of Tuesday, the Minneapolis Institute of Art had not hidden or closed any exhibitions, but was “evaluating the NAGPRA update to determine how it would impact the museum’s collection of Native American objects.” , and are determining what steps we need to take to ensure the exhibit remains compliant,” Mia spokeswoman Molly Lux said.
The historical society said it does not own any Native American remains. Data cited in ProPublica’s repatriation database is inaccurate. The Wiseman is in the process of repatriating more than 2,000 artifacts excavated by the Department of Anthropology in the 1920s.
“This conversation reflects the continuing feeling that many Native American people have had over the past several hundred years deprived of their ancestral remains and cultural heritage, and the work that many institutions still feel. It’s a poignant reminder of our grief,” said Jennifer Jones, deputy executive director of the Minnesota Historical Society.
He said MNHS already transferred the remains of five people listed in ProPublica data to the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC) for reburial between 1993 and 1995. ProPublica reported that the Minnesota Historical Society has not yet made possible the return of the remains of five people, but has made it possible for the remains of four others to be returned.
“MNHS has contacted the national NAGPRA database to update this information,” she added. “MNHS is always available to consult with tribes if they have concerns or disagreements with our evaluations.”
The Goodhue County Historical Society holds the remains of eight people who have yet to be returned, according to data from ProPublica.
But Afton Esson, Goodhue County Historical Society’s collections and exhibits curator, said the data was lost because the society worked with the Minnesota Council on Indian Affairs to return seven separate collections of bone fragments in 2015. said it was inaccurate.
The largest museum or historical society on the list is the Wiseman Museum of Art. According to ProPublica data, there are 198 remains available for return. The revised NAGPRA regulations do not affect the repatriation process.
The University of Minnesota and Wiseman University declined further comment. Tribal advisors working with Wiseman on the repatriation “asked that their privacy be respected while the repatriation consultation process is underway,” according to a statement posted on a U.S. website. ”.
ProPublica reports that the Minneapolis Institute of Art has one of the remains available for return.
painful past
These reports beg the question, “Is Minnesota doing better than other states?”
“Minnesota has 11 federally recognized tribes that pay close attention to repatriation issues, so this is a visible problem,” said Brenda Child, professor of American studies at the University of Minnesota (Red Lake Ojibwa). person) said.
In contrast, states like Ohio have no federally recognized tribes.
“If Minnesota seems to be doing well, is it because we have an ethic of doing good for Native American issues in Minnesota, or is it because we have an ethic of doing good for Native American issues here in the Native American community? Is it because tribal nations are so active?” she said.
Tribes can put pressure on organizations and state agencies, but Minnesota’s record on Native American issues remains mixed.
“We had a terrible problem like the University of Minnesota, and there was this irony: [having] The first Department of American Indian Studies in this country is over 50 years old, and then this terrible legacy from the Department of Anthropology, that sort of thing. [coexisting] “For a long time,” she said.
Kate Bean (Flandre Santee Sue Dakota), executive director of the Minnesota State Museum, said these recent updates to NAGPRA are long overdue.
“As an Indigenous museum professional, I am happy to see these changes occurring, but this moment also highlights the long way we have to go in this field,” Bean said. Told. “Museums must continue to improve. Working with tribes and communities can no longer be an afterthought.”