The goal of this project is to facilitate the respectful and culturally appropriate physical transfer of UTE human remains and a cultural object from the yager museum of art culture at hartwick…

The goal of this project is to facilitate the respectful and culturally appropriate physical transfer of UTE human remains and a cultural object from the yager museum of art culture at hartwick college in oneonta, NY to the three UTE tribes (the UTE of ouray and uintah reservation tribe, the UTE mountain UTE tribe, and the southern UTE indian tribe). As of march of 2024, the yager museum has completed the legal repatriation of human remains and cultural objects to the UTE tribes, but has been unable to complete the physical transfer back to UTE territory and care, due to a lack of travel and support funds, as well as a lack of cultural knowledge about how to properly care for these human remains and this object in a way appropriate to the UTE people. This grant will provide for two primary activities. First, IT will pay for representatives from the three UTE tribes to travel to hartwick college in the fall of 2024 for a period of 3-5 days inclusive of travel. While at hartwick, they will conduct ceremonies and visit with staff and administration, making the remains and the object ready for safe and culturally appropriate travel. The second funded activity will be for a member of hartwicks museum staff to physically courier the human remains and the cultural object to the southern UTE reservation in colorado, returning them home. This project has the full support of the three UTE tribes, and will bring to a conclusion a fruitful consultation and repatriation effort by hartwick college with this native american community.