Arizona Museum Becomes One Of The First To Return Stolen Property

Museums have a problem. Many of them, especially those concerned with human history, tend to have less than ethical ways of acquiring their pieces.

The collecting and showing of Native American history is one of the most vile of these, with many exhibits straight up stolen from native communities.

Arizona is doing its part to right that wrong.

Holding Remains at the Capitol

In 1976, the fragmented bones of two Native Americans were donated to the library at Arizona State University. They were held, and shown off there, until they were transferred. The remains made their way to the Arizona State Capitol in 1982, and have remained there since.

This practice, while ingrained in modern society, is incredibly disrespectful to the cultures and peoples it claims to represent. In fact, so disrespectful that there is a federal law attempting to rectify it.

Read More: Taking the U Out of Navajo: Arizona's Fight Against Uranium

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The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

In 1990, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, or NAGPRA was passed. It asks, nay, demands that any federally funded museum or university holding native remains, sacred objects, or objects of cultural significance must be returned to the tribe that they are most closely affiliated with.

While neither of the original owners were aware of the tribe these remains belonged to, they began to set things right. They transported the bones to Tucson, home of the largest collection of Arizonan native remains.

While the initial tribe was unable to be found, the museum realized that, since the remains were discovered in central Arizona, they would be returned to the tribes in the Phoenix basin area, where they would finally be given a proper place to rest.

[National Park Service]

[Arizona Capitol Times]