"Congress considered the human, civil and religious rights of Native Americans, living and dead, and the scurrilous ways - most of them in the name of science, art and ''civilization'' - that hundreds of thousands of Native people and property ended up in public institutions and collections, and the nightmares modern Native people encounter when interacting with those entities.

Congress also considered the interests of museums, scientists, researchers, art marketers and traffickers in human remains in using dead Native people and living sacred and cultural items for their ''studies,'' displays and profits.

The repatriation laws were the result of Native American negotiations with various entities and congressional considerations of the views. Congress struck a balance in the public interest.

Now, a tiny, elite and exclusive group wants to own and control greater and greater numbers of dead Indians and does not mind overturning and discarding public policy, American Indian rights and federal laws in order to get their way."

Get the Story:
Suzan Shown Harjo: How many dead Indians will satisfy feds and scientists? (Indian Country Today 8/5)

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