Multiple Fox Valley institutions still hold Native American remains after repatriation law
OSHKOSH (WLUK) -- A growing number of institutions, including in the Fox Valley, are facing pressure to return Native American remains and other culturally significant items to tribes.
According to the National Park Service, there are remains and/or artifacts at UW-Oshkosh, Lawrence University and the Oshkosh Public Museum.
Inside the Oshkosh Public Museum are dozens of artifacts from members of our First Nations, including human remains.
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, also known as NAGPRA, requires federally-funded institutions, such as universities and museums, to return remains and cultural items.
"We're caretakers, we are stewards until it's time that they go home," said Anna Cannizzo, assistant director and chief curator at the Oshkosh Public Museum.
Cannizzo says the museum is fully committed to fulfilling tribal nations' claims, to return these remains and/or items.
"And until such time, we provide them with respect and care," said Cannizzo.
The Oshkosh Public Museum has held a total of 58 human remain items and 197 associated funerary objects since 1924.
As of today, six of those human remains and 62 of those associated funerary objects have been repatriated.
"At the outset of these requests, our goal is to be successful with the tribes so that their important, cultural heritage can go home to the community they belong," said Cannizzo.
Items covered under NAGPRA are human remains, associated and unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony.
The museum's most recent repatriation process was completed in 2020.
"We had a cultural patrimony repatriation claimed by the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation," said Cannizzo.
It was for a powder horn of one of their significant leaders, sachem John Quinney.
Cultural patrimony is an object having ongoing historical, traditional or cultural importance central to the Native American group.
"What might not be considered cultural patrimony might be a necklace, something like that, but 50 years from now, as their history, because history marches on, it could be considered cultural patrimony in 50 years," said Cannizzo.
Which is why Cannizzo says, even though NAGPRA was passed in 1990, institutions that hold these items will never be done with it.
"NAGPRA will be an ongoing process as long as we steward and make accessible these types of collections," said Cannizzo.
FOX 11 reached out to UWO for an interview regarding their process.
The university said it would not be doing interviews due to the sensitive nature of the NAGPRA process and out of respect for the wishes of the Tribes but did share some background about a current project:
We have a team of UW-Oshkosh anthropologists working to inventory UWO's archeological collection. In ongoing consultation and partnership with Tribal Nations, the project includes cataloging and returning any Native American ancestral remains and burial artifacts to lineal descendants, culturally affiliated tribes and aboriginal land tribes. UWO recognizes the important responsibility of repatriation and is both actively engaging with Tribal leaders and dedicating resources to this important work.
FOX 11 also reached out to Lawrence University. No one was readily available to speak on the topic.
FOX 11 also reached out to the Oneida Nation and the Menominee Indian Tribe. We either did not hear back or no one was available.
