NAGPRA

As museum professionals, we are expected to care for items in our collections and, when necessary, repatriate items to their original owners.  This is the case when a museum, like the Athens County Historical Society and Museum (ACHSM), finds items in its collections that once belonged to a Native American tribe.  The National Parks Service has strict guidelines for museums, especially those who receive federal funding, to complete inventories of their collections to identify objects that are either unclaimed human remains or that of cultural significance to the originating tribe.  I'm including the link below.  While it is meant to do right by the Native American tribes, the repatriation of objects can serve also as a way to foster good relationships with others outside of the immediate area where the museum is located.  Previously I mentioned the ACHSM.  During my tenure there, we discovered some headdresses, moccasins, and other tribal artifacts that were given to the museum at an unknown time.  Even though the museum does not receive federal funds, it was decided that we should return these items to the respective tribes.  So, these items were returned to the Menominee tribe in Wisconsin over the summer and below are the two articles about the repatriation.  In the end, the museum was able to foster a good relationship with the tribe and has received good press within the community. 

Link:
http://www.nps.gov/nagpra/

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/11/12/sacred-items-returned-menominee-indian-tribe-152214

http://www.athensnews.com/ohio/article-41072-museum-returns-sacred-items-to-tribe.html