White Mountain Apache Tribe Heritage Program News Release
Nov 17, 2006
On November 4, at the Fall meeting of the federal NAGPRA Review Committee in Denver, Colo., the White Mountain Apache Tribe won a ruling concerning a 4-year long dispute with the Field Museum of Chicago, Illinois. In 2002 the Tribe claimed 33 items in the Museum's collection for repatriation under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act ("NAGPRA").
After years of discussions, the Museum agreed to repatriate the items but refused to acknowledge them as cultural patrimony or yield right of possession. The Tribe rejected these conditions and, with assistance from the Western Apache NAGPRA Working Group, turned to the NAGPRA Review Committee earlier this year to help resolve the matter. The Western Apache NAGPRA Working Group is comprised of the Apache repatriation representatives for the White Mountain Apache Tribe, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Yavapai-Apache Tribe, and the Tonto Apache Tribe. The NAGPRA Review Committee is comprised of seven individuals appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. Established by Congress, the committee's duties include hearing disputes in order to help resolve repatriation issues between tribes and museums.
On the basis of a careful review of documents submitted by the Tribe and the Museum, and after hearing testimony from Western Apache cultural authorities, elders, officials, and The Field Museum's attorney, the Review Committee unanimously ruled in the Tribe's favor, finding that the items claimed by the Tribe are objects of cultural patrimony and the Field Museum could not have a right of possession. During the Denver meeting, Apache tribal representatives testified that the Museum's terms would be "a humiliating compromise that tacitly acknowledges that the teachings of our elders and of our culture are wrong, that our elders and Holy Beings can be ignored," and that they would not let the Museum "lead us into compromising our values and the health of our communities."
The Review Committee's findings are advisory only, and it is unclear whether the Museum will act on the Committee's findings.
For more information, contact Ramon Riley, Cultural Resource Director for the White Mountain Apache Tribe (928) 338-4545.
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For questions concerning the NAGPRA Review Committee-
Dr. C. Timothy McKeown, Designated Federal Official, NAGPRA Review Committee
National Park Service National NAGPRA Program
(202) 354-2206
Copy of Draft Agenda for Denver meeting:
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nagpra/REVIEW/CO_2006_Draft_Agenda.pdf