CLEVELAND — Some museums have either covered or taken down Native American exhibits after an updated federal law about how Native American artifacts can be displayed.
The Cleveland Museum of art brings in people from far and wide, but today, not all artifacts are on display.
The museum said in a statement that concealing the Native American displays is in direct response to the updated 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
“Out of respect for the native American tribes and NAGPRA, the CMA has covered the display cases that contain items that might fit the new NAGPRA definitions until the appropriate determinations can be made and, if necessary, consents obtained,” the statement reads, in part.
NAGPRA was created in 1990 to protect and return cultural items to the Native Americans; the provision now requires museums and federal agencies to obtain the consent of lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or native Hawaiian organizations to display cultural items.
“Basically, they’re putting a fire under some particular museums,” said Marie Toledo.
Toledo is a board member on Lake Erie’s Native American council and sits on the advisory board for the museum. She said she was pleased to see how they responded.
“It is enough right now. Yes, they’re following the guidelines. I think they’ve been proactive. There are many museums that have not even done that much,” said Toledo.
She added that it’s painful to see artifacts and pieces of Native American history on display, knowing how they were secured.
“When I go into a museum, and I maybe see a Cheyenne woman’s dress and you can see holes in it. Well, those holes can be bullet holes, and you know, the history of that dress,” Toledo said. “You know how that dress was gotten. It wasn’t just given, some Cheyenne woman didn’t make that dress and say here you go, you know, those were gotten in a really, really violent, genocidal manner.”
Philip Yenyo, with the American Indian Movement of Ohio, feels the same way.
“It hurts for me; I feel like our ancestors aren’t being respected. Our burial sites aren’t being respected,” said Yenyo.
Yenyo believes the museum could have done more.
“They should be consulting with the different native nations to begin with,” said Yenyo.
But Yenyo’s still happy to see they are moving in the right direction. He and Toledo just want their indigenous people to have a say in pieces of their history.
“I hope that it continues to evolve and that we continue to decolonize museums and listen to the people give the people their voice and, return our relatives and our items of significance, culturally and spiritually,” said Toledo.
The Cleveland Museum of Art added that they are going through their records to see if consent has already been obtained for some items.
The museum’s full statement can be read below:
The federal government recently issued new requirements related to the 1990 Native American Graves Protection Act (NAGPRA). These new requirements were issued on December 13, 2023, and went into effect January 12, 2024. A new provision requires museums to secure consent of lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations to display cultural items. The CMA has a few items that may be subject to the new regulations and is currently consulting the relevant parties to secure their consent to display those items. In some instances, the CMA may already have the required permissions based on historical discussions with Native American representatives. The CMA is currently reviewing archival records to determine if consent consistent with the regulations has been obtained and, in instances where there is no record of consent, determine which parties need to be consulted. The 30-day period between the time the new requirements were issued and when they went in effect did not provide adequate time to secure consent. Out of respect for the Native American Tribes and NAGRPA, the CMA has covered the display cases that contain items that might fit the new NAGPRA definitions until the appropriate determinations can be made and, if necessary, consents obtained. Three of the six display cases in our gallery of Native North American art have been covered, so that those items are protected from public view until appropriate consent is obtained.
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