Mission Statement

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, NAGPRA, was enacted by Congress in 1990 in hopes for encouraging a dialogue between museums and Native American tribes. With the passing of the bill, Congress acknowledged that remains and cultural items rightfully belong to the lineal descendants of those that lived on tribal lands. The purpose of the law is to ensure a respectful transfer of these remains and objects to their rightful owners, to better preserve the past of all people, and to understand the important role that museums serve in society by preserving the past. It is the goal of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma to aid museums in becoming NAGPRA compliant with their inventories. This is done by consulting with museums across the tribe’s ancestral homelands, protecting the remains and cultural items significant to the tribe, and assist in the repatriating or transferring of any objects that maybe have cultural importance to the Miami people. The Miami tribe is interested in consulting with any federal agencies, museums, universities, state agencies, local governments, or any institution that receives Federal funds and may have objects of cultural significance to the tribe.