UC Berkeley and the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum, which house 13,000 native ancestral remains, the second largest collection in the country, are dissolving an autonomous unit that handles compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The unit, which includes Native staff, is being reorganized into the museum’s regular structure in a move that critics say would undermine NAGPRA compliance.

Representatives from a number of sovereign tribes along with other members of the community formed the Native America NAGPRA Coalition in response to the university’s move. Members of the coalition charge the university and museum with not complying with NAGPRA, which requires museums to make a good faith effort to repatriate Native artifacts and remains. The Phoebe A. Hearst Museum has classified over 80% of its collection of Native artifacts and remains as “culturally unidentifiable,” precluding their repatriation.

The NAGPRA Coalition led a rally on Friday, October 5th on the UC Berkeley campus and demanded that the university reverse its decision and called for the repatriation of all ancestral remains. Coalition members also accused the university of failing to include Native representatives in its decision-making processes and demanded a meeting with Chancellor Robert Birgeneau.

Photos en español: Protesta indígena en la Universidad de California Berkeley | Interview With Community Leaders | Press Release | "Why We Protest" | Announcement of NAGPRA Coalition | Berkeley Daily Planet: Protest Coverage | Daily Cal: Protest Coverage