Anthropology 1102

Jonathan Pittman

October 14, 2010

Dr. Jared Wood

Anthropology 1102

Restrictions on the Past

Full of rich cultural history, the lands now known as the United States have seen dramatic changes in the environment. Mammoths and saber-tooth tigers roamed during the Miocene, and the land witnessed the first traces of human life in America during the Pleistocene. Finally the Holocene began, and Neanderthals gave way to modern humans. With the progression of humans, also came the emergence of conflict. The competition for land, resources, and mates made tensions rise among the early peoples of America, and the trend has continued through modern times as resources become scarce. Therefore, it is no surprise that when important artifacts are found, everybody wants to claim them as their own. Then, the most controversial aspect ensues trying to decide who gets possession of the artifacts. Do they belong to the discoverer? Do they belong to scientists or archaeologists? Do they belong to their native or cultural group? The answers to these questions have been contemplated for many years, and finally in 1990 an act was put into place to help answer them. NAGPRA was created in order to make sure all artifacts regarding Native Americans were returned to their native tribe. The law, however, caused unrest among the scientific and archaeological communities who felt that their discoveries were being stolen from them. One of the most controversial issues behind NAGPRA was the discovery of the Kennewick Man, and the affect it had on the whole aspect of NAGPRA.

NAGPRA stands for the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act and is considered one of the most culturally significant laws ever passed by the United States (Sangita 2010). It was a federal law passed on November 16, 1990 that enabled Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations to regain possession of cultural items that belonged to their ancestors. The act acknowledges tribal sovereignty and the right...