The museum is among a number of state institutions that have made moves to adhere to newly updated federal guidelines to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which require “informed consent” from affiliated tribal representatives before exhibiting or doing research on cultural items.
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, was signed into law in 1990, but many Native objects and human remains are still in museums, colleges and other institutions. The remains of 39 Native people from Franklin, Hampden and Worcester Counties are still in four museums, according to a government data base.
New federal rules for repatriation of Native ancestors, objects from museums expected in 2024 nhpr.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nhpr.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The university’s Peabody Museum exploited loopholes to prevent repatriation to the Wabanaki people while still staying in compliance with NAGPRA. The tribes didn’t give up.