At the Forefront of Repatriation: New Policy and Impact beyond the United States

2017 IARC Speaker Series

In recent years, discussions about the 25th anniversary of the passage of Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA) and a spurt of highly-contested auctions in France featuring cultural patrimony, have made clear that more needs to be done in the field of repatriation, both on the home front and internationally. Spurred by these occurrences, lawmakers, museums, and tribal communities have been pushing government, auction houses, and collectors alike toward a more ethical treatment of sacred cultural belongings. This discussion delves into recent policy and proposed solutions beyond NAGPRA.

Moderator: Brian Vallo, Indian Arts Research Center at SAR; Panelists: Kate Fitz Gibbon, JD, Fitz Gibbon Law, JD; Honor Keeler, JD, International Repatriation Project; Gregory Smith, JD, Hobbs Straus Dean & Walker