Title
National Park Service FY2025 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Consultation/Documentation Grant (Ordinance S-51771) - District 8
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for, accept, and, if awarded, enter into an agreement for up to $150,000 for the National Park Service Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Program Consultation/Documentation Grant. The grant funds would be used by the Office of Arts and Culture to support work at S’edav Va’aki Museum (SVM, formerly Pueblo Grande Museum). Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept and for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item.
Report
Summary
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law which requires museums that receive federal funds to complete inventories and summaries of Native American cultural items in their collections. It is intended to facilitate the repatriation of Native American human remains (ancestors), funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony. The law also requires museums to consult with culturally affiliated Native American tribes.
In 2017, the City received one NAGPRA grant which focused on the documentation of ancestors in the collection of SVM. This grant resulted in the repatriation of over 300 ancestors and over 600 funerary objects from the collections. The City applied for another NAGPRA grant in 2024, which was not received.
In consultation with Native American tribes, SVM has identified additional issues with potential funerary objects in its collection. Under NAGPRA, a funerary object is “any object reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or near human remains...either at the time of death or later, to a death rite or ceremony of a Native American culture…” The question with objects in the collection at SVM is with the research methods used to identify the objects. Prior to 2017, research methods used the standard of proof “beyond a reasonable doubt” to identify funerary objects in the collection. The current standard of proof required by law is “preponderance of the evidence” which is a lower standard.
To remedy this issue, the Office of Arts and Culture requests permission to apply for a NAGPRA Consultation/Documentation Grant. The large amount of time and specialized skill required by this project necessitates the documentation be conducted by individuals with professional experience doing archaeological research, working with archaeological objects, and writing NAGPRA summaries and notices.
The grant will be used to pay for a position at the Museum Assistant level. The Museum Assistant would work at SVM for up to 24 months to review project reports, field notes, and context information for archaeological specimens. The Museum Assistant will then make recommendations regarding objects that are reasonably believed to be funerary objects and will also identify potential sacred objects which may need repatriation as well. The Museum Assistant will write the legally required NAGPRA paperwork which includes summaries to be sent to Native American tribes, as well as notices to be published in the Federal Register. SVM will use the information generated by this research to consult with Native American tribes concerning the identification of funerary objects and sacred objects.
The cost of this work is beyond the scope of the Office of Arts and Culture budget; therefore, the department would like to apply for the grant funding. The United States Department of the Interior administers these funds through the National Park Service.
Financial Impact
If awarded, the grant will provide up to $150,000 to review the archaeological collection at SVM. No matching funds are required.
Location
Council District: 8
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Inger Erickson and the Office of Arts and Culture.