Monday, August 5, 2024 – Frustration and skepticism over slow repatriation efforts
The American Museum of Natural History in New York just announced it’s repatriating remains of 124 relatives and almost 100 Native cultural items from its collection. The museum continues to hold onto remains of some 12,000 other individuals from North America and beyond. It’s among institutions re-examining practices after new rules enacted this year forces museums to consider tribal views more seriously when it comes to remains and public displays. While some tribes are seeing progress, others are expressing frustration over institutions’ lack of compliance with federal law.