Federal regulations are forcing museums to take down or cover exhibits. The struggles tribes face in repatriating ancestral remains. Exploring the challenges of navigating repatriation regulations and adapting to new rules. McClung Museum's journey towards a repatriation-focused exhibition. Centering native perspectives in museum work and ongoing human rights conversations.
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Quick takeaways
Museums are adapting to federal regulations, removing exhibits to respect Native perspectives.
Harvard's history of grave robbing influences repatriation struggles, emphasizing the need for museums to reassess origins.
Deep dives
Challenges in Repatriating Native American Objects
American museums still hold many stolen Native American objects and ancestral remains, despite new regulations under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) aiming to change this. Museums are now issuing apologies and federal regulations insist on consent from tribes for cultural item displays and scientific research. These changes highlight the historical legacy of grave robbing and the need for museums to reassess and respect tribal origins.
Impact on Institutions Like Harvard in Repatriation
High-profile museums like Harvard University, known for holding large numbers of ancestral remains, face scrutiny for past resistance to repatriation. Harvard's history of aggressive collection practices influenced other institutions and tribes' struggles to reclaim their ancestors. The slow process of repatriation is highlighted by an instance where it took 30 years for Harvard to return remains to the Wabanaki tribes.
Museum Responses to Repatriation Regulations
Museums like the McClung Museum have adapted to new repatriation regulations by removing and covering exhibits to respect Native perspectives. The shift from traditional displays to showcasing emptiness signals a commitment to transparency and highlighting the importance of repatriation. Embracing indigenous methodologies of respect, reciprocity, relationships, and responsibility guides museums in centering native perspectives and addressing human rights concerns.
New federal regulations are forcing museums across the United States to take down, cover up, or close their exhibits. ProPublica reporter Mary Hudetz and curator Catherine Roberts Shteynberg explain why.
This episode was produced by Laura Bullard and Hady Mawajdeh. It was edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard and Kim Eggleston, engineered by David Herman, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.