Repatriation

Item 1

History and Description of the Cultural Item(s)
    Between 1897 and 1928, one cultural item was removed from Wrangell, 
AK, by Fred W. Carlyon, a local shop owner. Carlyon and his sister, 
Anna Vaughn, collected the Shtax' Heen Kwaan Kaachadi Frog Hat during 
their time in Wrangell in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 
Later, the hat passed from the collectors to Dorothy K. Haberman, who 
was Miss Vaughn's daughter. Mrs. Haberman donated the hat to the 
Oakland Museum of California in 1959. The sacred object/object of 
cultural patrimony is a clan crest hat in the shape of a frog carved 
from wood and with copper overlay on formline. The eyes are overlaid 
with abalone and the hat is topped with five woven spruce root rings.

(FEDERAL NOTICE) 

Item 2

"Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: U.W. Department of Defense, 

Army corps of Engineers, Portland District, Portland, OR and University of 

Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History, Eugene OR (October 21, 2008). 

In 1959, prior to construction of Washington's John Day Dam, eighty-five objects – including stone tools, shell and steatite beads – were removed from a prehistoric burial area. These were scheduled to be turned over to the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon and/or the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation of Washington."

(American Indian Art, Vol.35(3):81, Summer 2010)

Item 3 

"Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (august 24, 2007). The museum’s collections included twelve items purchased in 1958 and 1961 from two residents of Nett Lake Minnesota, including a loon-head drumstick, water drum, Midewiwin kit, some pouches and a rattle. These are "sacred objects," in other words, "specific ceremonial objects needed by traditional Native American religious leaders for the practice of traditional Native American religions by their present-day adherents." the museum agreed to give these items to the Bois forte Band (Nett Lake) of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe of Minnesota." 

(American Indian Art, Vol.33(3):102, Summer 2008)

Comments:

I was really impressed by the American Indian Art magazine.  It is beautiful.  More practically, in the hunt for information for this weeks assignment I found it fascinating to read the repatriation information in several of the issues.  I also read a couple of the recommended readings, "NAGPRA at 20: Museum Collections and Reconnections", Martha Graham and Nell Murphy was particularly an interesting and thorough account of NAGPRA and three specific cases where items were repatriated or (in one case) access was allowed for ceremonial purposes.  Key in this article is the fact that a positive association is being formed between NAGPRA and the various tribal groups.  Although the tribal groups did not feel a "healing" was taking place they were all pleased that they had knowledge and access to their cultural and sacred objects.  It is well worth reading. Read the article and find out about the Tomanowos.