s02e04: "You Have Disturbed Our Ancestors" (NAGPRA p.I)

Challenging Colonialism

Part 1 in this 3-episode series focuses on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). As always, thank you to the guests who gave their time and shared their stories. This episode includes significant discussion of how ancestral remains, funerary objects, sacred items, and objects of cultural patrimony have been collected in the past, continue to be disturbed in the present, as well as the process of repatriation and reburial. This is an extremely sensitive topic, but a very important one that deals with basic human rights and respect, or the lack thereof, and we want to make this clear up front. This topic understandably may be triggering for some. You will hear people discussing in detail the ways in which their ancestors’ bodies have been and continue to be mistreated. Please take care while listening.

Speakers:

Sabine Talaugon

Dr. Brittani Orona

Cindi Alvitre

Dr. Vanessa Esquivido

Dr. Anthony Burris

Dr. Cutcha Risling Baldy

Dr. Desireé Martinez

Alexii Sigona

Additional Reading:

"Continued Disembodiment: NAGPRA, CAL NAGPRA, and Recognition” by Brittani Orona and Vanessa Esquivido

Propublica database for institutions holding human remains or burial artifacts

Our Story Lives Forever [documentary short by Sacred Lands Films]

Carrying Our Ancestors Home website: https://www.coah-repat.com/

“Returning the tataayiyam honuuka' (Ancestors) to the Correct Home: The Importance of Background Investigations for NAGPRA Claims,” by Desireé R. Martinez, Wendy G. Teeter, Karimah Kennedy-Richardson

“The Politics of Archaeology: Diverse Concerns and Interests at the West Bluffs Project, Los Angeles, California,” by John G. Douglass, Cindi Alvitre, and, Jeffrey H. Altschul

Challenging Colonialism is produced by Daniel Stonebloom & Martin Rizzo-Martinez. All interviews by Martin, all audio engineering and editing by Daniel. All music by G. Gonzales. The title of this episode comes from Cindi Alvitre.

This podcast is produced with support from California State Parks Foundation.