Additional Information

Language

English

Notes

Abstract: Repatriation of human remains and associated funerary objects under NAGPRA and the increased use of culturally informed curation practices for sacred, religious, and ceremonial objects are important steps toward restoring control over cultural patrimony to Native Nations in the United States. Many museums holding Indigenous belongings have begun a collaborative care approach involving Indigenous community voices and improving access to collections. However, this framework has not been applied to many animal remains curated in American archaeology museums, which remain broadly beyond the care or administrative purview of Native people. Because many Indigenous worldviews do not hold a clear separation between the human and animal spheres, common practices applied to animal remains are not congruent with the idea of respectful or culturally informed care. Here we outline steps to shift the treatment of animals through the application of Indigenous knowledge to museum collections.

Taxonomies

RPA Codes & Standards

• Archaeologist's Responsibility to Employers and Clients
• Integrity of Research Methodology
• Specimen and Research Record Storage

CIfA Codes

• Principle 1: Adherence to ethical and responsible behaviour in archaeological affairs

Keywords & Terms

• Animal Remains
• Conservation
• Consultation/Partnership with Indigenous Peoples
• Culturally Significant and/or Sacred Sites, Objects, and Places
• General Archaeological Ethics
• Indigenous, Tribal, Aboriginal Rights
• Museum, Collection, Curation and Display Standards
• Repatriation
• Stewardship
• Storage of Data, Specimens, and Records

Topics & Issues

• Archaeological Ethics - Other
• Collaboration in Archaeology (i.e. Communities, Non-Archaeologists, etc.)
• Conservation and Ethics
• Ethical Responsibilities of Archaeologists
• Ethics of Collecting
• Heritage Management
• Indigenous Archaeology: Perspectives and Issues
• NAGPRA, Repatriation, and Indigenous Rights