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