Notes on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)

Introduction to NAGPRA

• NAGPRA, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (also known as the American Heritage Protection and Repatriation Act), is a uniquely American issue encountered in museums, even those not specializing in Native American artifacts.

• It is crucial for anyone working in museums (curators, registrars, archivists) in America to understand NAGPRA.

Historical Context: White Settlers and Indigenous People in the Mid-19th Century

• Caveat: This overview is a brief, cursory look at a complex relationship that warrants extensive study.

• Artistic Representations of the American Frontier:

  • George Catlin (1830s):

    • Traveled to the American West five times, extensively writing and painting portraits of Plains Indians (from where we are today to the Rocky Mountains).

    • Returned East in $1838$ after studies, finished paintings, and assembled his