BLM Utah works to fulfill NAGPRA obligations with new and old partners

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) charges museums and federal agencies holding Native American ancestral human remains and certain cultural items, such as objects removed from burials, with their return to descendant communities. Facilitating the return of NAGPRA materials involves consultation with potentially culturally affiliated Tribal communities, engaging on often emotional topics, and working to understand the needs of the communities, the ancestors, and the cultural items. Often, unforeseen challenges arise in accomplishing these returns, but the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Utah recently found a creative solution that brought together a unique team of partners.

The BLM relies on non-federal repositories across the country to care for archaeology and paleontology collections that have been removed from BLM-managed public lands. BLM Utah partners with 14 non-federal museums across the country holding archaeology collections. Although BLM Utah is responsible for NAGPRA compliance for all these collections, the monumental job of caring for ancestral human remains and cultural items until repatriation can be completed is carried out by our partner-museums.

When BLM Utah realized two of these museums, Washington State University (WSU) and the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA), held materials subject to NAGPRA that had been collected over 50 years ago from the same areas of the same archaeology sites on BLM Utah-managed public lands, the BLM Utah team wanted to bring them back together. By doing so, the NAGPRA materials are physically closer to home and BLM Utah can move them through the NAGPRA process together for eventual repatriation to a descendant community.

BLM Utah consulted with potentially culturally affiliated Tribal Nations about moving and re-associating the NAGPRA materials from WSU with the rest of the materials held at MNA. The primary request from consulting Tribal Nations was for the NAGPRA materials to be transported as quickly and respectfully as possible. But how do you navigate travel across the Intermountain West in the heart of winter and severe weather impacting access and service to the places you need to go all while respecting Tribal requests to keep travel time limited? You reach out to BLM Fire National Aviation Office (NAO) and ask for support!

Not knowing if such an ask could even be entertained, BLM Utah’s Tribal liaison reached out through a network of NAO staff to see if there was a way to assist in transporting the NAGPRA materials. After some careful project vetting, an administrative flight was assigned, and the logistical planning began. Careful consideration was given to weather conditions at each location; flight times needed to be calculated to comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations and Departmental policies. Outreach and coordination with Tribal Nations before the transport allowed BLM Utah and museum staff to understand how to care for the materials in a culturally appropriate manner. 

Maximum flexibility became the name of the game as the weather did not cooperate on the first planned day for the flight. By day two things started to come together. The team met at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho and began pre-flight briefings and checks while waiting for weather conditions to improve. When weather did not clear in a timely fashion, the pick-up location was relocated. Museum staff from WSU were quick to respond to the change in plans and met BLM staff at the new location. With the first leg of the transport complete, it was smooth flying to Flagstaff where MNA met us at the airport to complete the mission.

The team could not have accomplished this without support from NAO, WSU, and MNA, as well as the Nez Perce Tribe, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, and Rich Bailey (BLM Spokane District). BLM Utah would like to extend our gratitude for continued partnership efforts towards creatively advancing our mission.