What is the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act?
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law passed in 1990. It is designed to protect and repatriate Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and items of cultural patrimony. This act was created in response to the widespread looting of Native American graves. It requires federal agencies and museums to inventory their collections of Native American human remains and objects and to return those items to culturally affiliated tribes. In Oklahoma, NAGPRA applies to the Five Civilized Tribes: the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. It also applies to tribal lands and Native American cemeteries. Under this law, these tribes can reclaim cultural items and ancestral remains. It requires that museums and repositories return all Native American cultural items, including funerary objects, to the tribes of origin. NAGPRA also requires that Native American tribes provide access to their cultural items and ancestral remains to members of the public for oral history, spiritual practices, and other cultural uses. This helps to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of Native American tribes in Oklahoma. Lastly, NAGPRA allows grants to be provided to federally recognized Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations for repatriation and other activities related to the protection of Native American cultural items and ancestral remains. These grants help to ensure the preservation of Native American culture and traditions in Oklahoma.
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