Museums work to return Native American remains, artifacts to their original places
Finding the true home of ancient artifacts, many of which are ancestral remains from tribes across the continent, is a long process. It can take decades.

But as the Detroit Free Press reports, the Kingman Museum in Michigan isn’t giving up on the search to find the rightful owners of hundreds of artifacts belonging to Native tribes.

The remains, from Native American people and tribes, were donated to the museum over decades by finders who thought they could be used for scientific study, said Michael Nassaney, professor of archaeology at Western Michigan University.

“The idea was that these would have some research potential, that they would be studied … and in some instances they were,” he said. “In other instances, they just lay in boxes and bags on museum shelves.”

But since 1990, when the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act passed, museums have been working to return the remains and artifacts to the tribes from which they originated.

CSKT flag comes home from Iraq
Two years after making a journey to fly proudly for troops serving in Iraq, a Flathead Nation flag has returned to its home in Montana.

William “Buck” Richardson, Veterans Administration minority coordinator, carried the flag back to the Confederate Salish and Kootenai Tribes from a military base in Helena, Mont.

Char-Koosta News reporter Lailani Upham has the story :

Last week, Richardson carried the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal flag back from Fort Harrison where it originally began its trek from the U.S. to Iraq in 2010.



Pictured are soldiers of the TF 1- 163rd holding up the Flathead Nation Flag on base in Tallil, Iraq. (Courtesy photo, via Char-Koosta news)


The notice was only 18 hours when word was sent out that a CSKT flag was going to be going over with the Echo Company Task Force 1 – 163rd beginning at Fort Harrison in Helena, and then on to Fort Benning, Georgia and finally to take stake in Tallil, Iraq at the company headquarters, according to Richardson.

. . .

The soldiers of the 163rd presented not only a certificate on the return of the Flathead Nation flag of gratitude but also presented Chief Cliff with the American Flag that flew alongside the tribal flag.

The Certificate of Appreciation read, “Presented to The Drum Group Chief Cliff: For supporting the soldiers assigned to Echo Company Task Force 163rd. The dedication of Chief Cliff drum group towards the support of soldiers abroad is an act of true patriotism. Your selfless gesture is well received and beyond appreciation.”

Jenna Cederberg