Project Grant P24AP02212

THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO SUPPORT CONSULTATION WITH 19 NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES AND NATIONS RELATED TOCOMPLIANCE WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN GRAVES PROTECTION AND REPATRIATION ACT OF 1990 (NAGPRA). CONSULTATION WILLESTABLISH DUTY OF CARE (COLLECTIONS CARE) PROTOCOLS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN ANCESTRAL HUMAN REMAINS AND FUNERARYITEMS FOR WHICH THE MUSEUM OF NORTHERN ARIZONA (MNA) HAS CONTROL AND POSSESSION, AS DEFINED BY NAGPRALEGISLATION. THIS GRANT WILL ENABLE MNA TO ENGAGE IN CONSULTATION WITH ESTABLISHED AND NEW TRIBAL PARTNERS THATWILL LEAD TO REPATRIATION OF ANCESTRAL HUMAN REMAINS AND FUNERARY ITEMS UNDER MNAS CONTROL.BASED ON A REVIEW OF MNAS COLLECTION RECORDS AND ON PREVIOUS CONSULTATION, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 19 TRIBES ANDNATIONS THAT MAY BE CULTURALLY AFFILIATED WITH THE NATIVE AMERICAN ANCESTRAL HUMAN REMAINS FOR WHICH MNA HASCONTROL. WE WILL INVITE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THESE TRIBES TO MEET IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY. MNA STAFF WILL CONTINUETO BE RECEPTIVE TO REQUESTS FOR CONSULTATION FROM OTHER TRIBES REGARDING NAGPRA-RELATED HOLDINGS.THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROJECT ARE THE CONTEMPORARY NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHOSE ANCESTORS ARECURRENTLY HOUSED AT MNA. BY ESTABLISHING CULTURAL AFFILIATION AND OR GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN, MNA WILL BE ABLE TOTRANSFER CONTROL AND REPATRIATE THE ANCESTRAL HUMAN REMAINS AND FUNERARY ITEMS TO THE APPROPRIATE TRIBES FORREBURIAL. REPATRIATION AND REBURIAL OF ANCESTRAL REMAINS IS CRUCIAL TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE DESCENDANTCOMMUNITIES AND THE CONTINUATION OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL PRACTICES.THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF ROBUST CONSULTATION ARE TO PROVIDE MNA WITH SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FOR CONTINUED CARE OFNAPGRA-RELATED HOLDINGS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT TO THE TRIBES, AS WELL AS TO GATHER INFORMATION REGARDING CULTURALAFFILIATION OR OTHER CRITERIA THAT CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE THE MOST APPROPRIATE TRIBE FOR REPATRIATION.DELIVERABLES RESULTING FROM THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE:1) A COMPLETE RECORD OF CORRESPONDENCE AND CONSULTATION, WHICH WILL BE SHARED WITH ALL CONSULTING TRIBALPARTNERS 2) PROTOCOLS FOR CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE AND RESPECTFUL CARE OF THE ANCESTRAL HUMAN REMAINS AND FUNERARY ITEMSUNTIL THEY CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO TRIBAL CONTROL AND REPATRIATED 3) INFORMATION TO SUPPORT A CULTURAL AFFILIATION STATEMENT OR4) APPROVAL FROM TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVES TO USE GEOGRAPHIC ORIGIN (PROVENIENCE) OR ANOTHER LINE OF EVIDENCE TODETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE TRIBE OR NATION FOR REPATRIATION 5) A PLAN OF ACTION DEFINING TASKS NEEDED TO COMPLETE TRANSFER OF CONTROL AND REPATRIATION OF ANCESTRAL REMAINSAND FUNERARY ITEMS TO APPROPRIATE TRIBES.THE PROJECT WILL BE A SUCCESS IF MNA ESTABLISHES THE CULTURAL AFFILIATION OF THE ANCESTRAL HUMAN REMAINS THOUGHTCONSULTATION. WITH THAT INFORMATION, MNA CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NAGPRA COMPLIANCE PROCESS AND TRANSFER CONTROL TO APPROPRIATE TRIBES. SUCCESSFUL CONSULTATION WILL ALSO ALLOW MNA STAFF TO UNDERSTAND THE CURRENT PREFERENCES OF OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS FOR HOW THE MUSEUM CAN BEST CARE FOR THE NATIVE AMERICAN ANCESTRAL HUMAN REMAINS AND ITEMS HOUSED AT MNA.