Dr. Chip Colwell presents his new book on Native American repatriation

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Photo by Lauren Zurcher

Denver, CO — Dr. Chip Colwell, senior curator of anthropology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, was a guest of the University of Denver Museum of Anthropology to present his book “Plundered Skulls and Stolen Spirits: Inside the Fight to Reclaim Native Americans Culture” on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017.

A reflection of personal experiences, the book focuses on how repatriation has affected both Native American communities and American museums. Repatriation laws, although flawed, have become a necessary instrument in resolving the clash between the worldview of scientists and Natives.

“I found that repatriation is a vital means for museums to confront the radically different world views that surround museum collections,” said Colwell.

Dr. Colwell is the recipient of several honors, awards, fellowships, and recognitions. Anthropologist, archeologist, ethnographer, scholar, writer, journalist, and above all humanist, Colwell cares deeply about social justice, human rights, and human dignity. He enjoys field work and conversing with experts. The author has published ten books and has one in press and written sixty academic journal articles and book chapters. His latest publication is a demonstration of all the positions and perspectives held by Colwell.

“Plundered Skulls and Stolen Spirits: Inside the Fight to Reclaim Native Americans Culture” is one of his many volumes on the evolving relationship between science and native American communities, NAGPRA, and museum ethics.

NAGPRA stands for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, a federal law enacted in 1990 requiring federal funded agencies and institutions to return Native American cultural items (e.g., human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects) to descendants and culturally associated tribes and organizations.

Of all human remains in museums nationwide in 1990, only about 30% have been repatriated.

“The things that are being reclaimed from museums by legal definition are needed by religious practitioners today,” said Colwell.

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Photo by Lauren Zurcher

The small crowd of notetakers gave Colwell their undivided attention as he began the lecture by referencing the Sand Creek massacre, when Colorado U.S. Volunteer Cavalry attacked a village of Cheyenne and Arapaho, killing and mutilating hundreds of Native Americans.

“In 1864 Colorado stood at the crossroads of manifest destiny,” said Colwell.

America’s dream of westward expansion crashed into the reality of Native Americans’ lives. Tribes were locked in violent fights over their territory’s fate. Tribal chiefs would visit land claiming immigrants to seek peace, but faced rejection. Ultimately, the U.S. army would take care of the “Indian problem,” in other words, kill the Natives Americans.

Countless remains and artifacts were lost in the Sand Creek massacre.

Five decades ago Native American leaders campaigned to recover sacred artifacts and properly bury ancestors. The movement recently gained steam with tribes calling on federal laws to reclaim their heritage. It is through this kind of cultural conflict that Colwell seeks to understand the meaning of repatriation.

The ongoing battle on repatriation does matter. By returning items cultural practices can be perpetuated. Through the repatriation process, museums and tribes are forced to navigate the world views that clash with each other in museum settings. Repatriation enables the reorganization of power dynamics between museums and native communities.

“Museums are a place where we don’t run away from the differences and difficulties, but a place that becomes the vehicle to navigate these differences,” said Colwell.

He explained how repatriation promotes restorative justice. This does not mean finding justice by punishing people or equally distributing resources, rather finding ways to heal breaches and build bridges between communities that were driven apart due to historical circumstances.

“Repatriation doesn’t always serve in this mode, but it can, and it’s at its best when it does,” said Colwell.

One of Colwell’s colleagues, Lawrence Hart, a Cheyenne Peace Chief, asked “how do you heal a wound of the soul?” Colwell found that repatriation itself does not, however the process of moving toward justice does indeed heal.

“Wounds are no longer open, but they are scars,” said Colwell, “they remind us of our survival.”

This matter is yet to be resolved. The question of how to balance the religious freedoms of Natives with the academic freedoms of scientists is still being examined.

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