Date of Award
2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Anthropology
First Advisor
Christina Kreps
Second Advisor
Kelly Fayard
Third Advisor
Frédérique Chevillot
Keywords
Decolonization, NAGPRA, Repatriation
Abstract
This thesis examines the museological phenomena of repatriation beyond NAGPRA and the incorporation of Indigenous curatorial methods into museum collections practices. The project explores repatriation and collections caretaking practices at ten settler institutions through narratives of experience collected from museum staff. The findings of this research suggest that repatriation beyond NAGPRA and the Indigenization of collections care are situated processes that should be understood contextually and historically. This thesis argues that, in some cases, repatriation beyond NAGPRA and the integration of Indigenous perspectives, practices, and protocols into museum collections stewardship demonstrates a willingness by institutions to go beyond the minimum requirements of repatriation law and to voluntarily relinquish some degree of settler ownership and control of Native ancestors and belongings. In this sense, they can be interpreted as decolonizing practices.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Recommended Citation
Degn-Sutton, Lydia, "Stories of Return: A Collection of Repatriation Narratives" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1911.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1911
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
Rights holder
Lydia Degn-Sutton
File size
164 pgs
Copyright date
2021
File format
application/pdf
Language
en
Discipline
Museum studies, Cultural anthropology