Under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archaeological Research transferred ancestral human remains and funerary objects to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, according to federal compliance records. The repatriation process fulfills federal requirements designed to return indigenous cultural items to culturally affiliated tribes.
Compliance with Federal Law
Enacted in 1990, NAGPRA establishes a legal process for museums and federal agencies to return Native American cultural items—including human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony—to lineal descendants and culturally affiliated Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. According to the National Park Service’s National NAGPRA Program, institutions receiving federal funds must inventory these holdings and consult with tribal nations regarding repatriation.
The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archaeological Research carried out the transfer following inventory assessments and tribal consultations mandated by the statute. Federal notices published by the National Park Service outline the specific inventories associated with university and museum collections across the country.
Tribal Affiliation and Ancestral Return
The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes, is headquartered on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. Tribal historic preservation officials coordinate the return and reburial of ancestral remains and associated funerary items recovered from archaeological excavations or historical collections.
Federal regulations require recipient institutions to publish notices of inventory completion in the Federal Register before transfers occur. These notices provide a public record of the cultural items, their geographic origins, and the tribal affiliations determined through consultation and historical evidence.
FAQ
What is NAGPRA?
NAGPRA is the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990, a federal law requiring museums and federal agencies to return certain Native American cultural items to descendants and culturally affiliated tribes.
Who received the repatriated items from UTSA?
The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation received the ancestral remains and funerary objects from the University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archaeological Research.
How are culturally affiliated tribes identified?
Institutions determine cultural affiliation through a combination of geographical, kinship, biological, archaeological, anthropological, folkloric, and historical evidence, working in consultation with tribal representatives.
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