Protecting cultural objects of indegenous people is absolutely vital to the protection of their
culture. For centuries Europeans have stolen cultures from indigenous people all over the
world. In Canada, Australia, the continental United States, Hawaii, South America, and
anywhere Europeans have sought to colonize. Now that we have taken responsibility for
what our ancestors have done it is important we move towards protecting their culture.
With the increasing study of early people in the Americas The remains of early Natives
as well as sacred objects have been taken without the consent of the tribes they belong
to. With the passing of NAGPRA (National American Graves Protection and Repatriation
Act) in 1990, federally recognized tribes are allowed to request repatriation of objects
belonging to their ancestors. NAGPRA also provides grants to tribes, Native Hawaiian
Organizations, and museums to provide documentation of items(1). Repatriation has
become crucial to restoring tribes and they will tell you, it is crucial is curing the things
that ail their society such as disease and suicide. For them returning sacred objects
and the remains of their ancestors is vital to regaining a natural balance that was lost
when the U.S. Government moved Native Americans to reservations and scientists
swooped in to document and stockpile artifacts.
culture. For centuries Europeans have stolen cultures from indigenous people all over the
world. In Canada, Australia, the continental United States, Hawaii, South America, and
anywhere Europeans have sought to colonize. Now that we have taken responsibility for
what our ancestors have done it is important we move towards protecting their culture.
With the increasing study of early people in the Americas The remains of early Natives
as well as sacred objects have been taken without the consent of the tribes they belong
to. With the passing of NAGPRA (National American Graves Protection and Repatriation
Act) in 1990, federally recognized tribes are allowed to request repatriation of objects
belonging to their ancestors. NAGPRA also provides grants to tribes, Native Hawaiian
Organizations, and museums to provide documentation of items(1). Repatriation has
become crucial to restoring tribes and they will tell you, it is crucial is curing the things
that ail their society such as disease and suicide. For them returning sacred objects
and the remains of their ancestors is vital to regaining a natural balance that was lost
when the U.S. Government moved Native Americans to reservations and scientists
swooped in to document and stockpile artifacts.
A Large majority of the more high-profile NAGPRA cases focus around human remains,
but a lot also surround sacred objects. These sacred objects in many ways can hold
just as much value as remains and are incredibly important to Native American people.
They believe the return of remains and sacred items will return the earth to a balance
that was destroyed when the items were removed from the spiritual sites they were
meant to live. One of the more interesting of these cases occurred in 1991. The Zuni
people spent thirteen years trying to have sixty-seven Ahayu:da figures across thirty- five
museums and collections, returned to them. The Ahayu:da are the twin gods of war
created by Awonawilona, the sun god, to protect the zuni people from their enemies(3).
The twins are known as Big Brother and Little Brother by the Zunis and are sacredly
carved only by the Deer and Bear clan members each winter. It is carved from a single
tree that has been struck by lightning, the weapon of the Ahayu:da, while singing, dancing,
and praying occurs around them. Once it is finished the Bow Priest, a high ranking spiritual
leader, sets them at a special altar to look over the land of the Zuni and protect them. The
figures are cylindrical with a pointed head and abstracted features. The brow bone, nose
and chin are prominent while the eyes are simply lines. They are often painted and then
decorated with feathers and carved emblems. Each year the Ahayu:da are “retired” and
placed in a natural area to erode and return to the earth. When a person steals one of these
figures from its rest it is believed they have also stolen the soul of a brother as well as
disrupting a balance which could lead to war and natural disasters, among other things(4).
When the sit in museums or private collections they can not do their job of protecting
the Zuni people and they are disrupted from their rightful rest.
but a lot also surround sacred objects. These sacred objects in many ways can hold
just as much value as remains and are incredibly important to Native American people.
They believe the return of remains and sacred items will return the earth to a balance
that was destroyed when the items were removed from the spiritual sites they were
meant to live. One of the more interesting of these cases occurred in 1991. The Zuni
people spent thirteen years trying to have sixty-seven Ahayu:da figures across thirty- five
museums and collections, returned to them. The Ahayu:da are the twin gods of war
created by Awonawilona, the sun god, to protect the zuni people from their enemies(3).
The twins are known as Big Brother and Little Brother by the Zunis and are sacredly
carved only by the Deer and Bear clan members each winter. It is carved from a single
tree that has been struck by lightning, the weapon of the Ahayu:da, while singing, dancing,
and praying occurs around them. Once it is finished the Bow Priest, a high ranking spiritual
leader, sets them at a special altar to look over the land of the Zuni and protect them. The
figures are cylindrical with a pointed head and abstracted features. The brow bone, nose
and chin are prominent while the eyes are simply lines. They are often painted and then
decorated with feathers and carved emblems. Each year the Ahayu:da are “retired” and
placed in a natural area to erode and return to the earth. When a person steals one of these
figures from its rest it is believed they have also stolen the soul of a brother as well as
disrupting a balance which could lead to war and natural disasters, among other things(4).
When the sit in museums or private collections they can not do their job of protecting
the Zuni people and they are disrupted from their rightful rest.
 |
| Powell, John Wesley 1834-1902 |
The Zuni people believe in asking for something politely four times before resulting to
force and following that belief they never sued to regain possession of any of the sixty-seven
Ahayu:da(5). The figures were returned through a ceremony that was attended by both
the Zuni people as well as representatives from the museums. Since NAGPRA, Native
Americans have formed a strong relationship with museums. They plan exhibitions and
have formed their own museums(3). They are no longer owned by museums and this is
what has strengthened their relationship. Their input is valued and their items are honored
rather than stolen. This early case set a precedent for repatriation and allowed museums
and collectors to come to their own conclusions about the ethics of holding on to sacred
items. The repatriation of the Ahayu:da opened doors for other repatriation cases in the
future by opening the minds of museums to ownership and who truly deserves it.
force and following that belief they never sued to regain possession of any of the sixty-seven
Ahayu:da(5). The figures were returned through a ceremony that was attended by both
the Zuni people as well as representatives from the museums. Since NAGPRA, Native
Americans have formed a strong relationship with museums. They plan exhibitions and
have formed their own museums(3). They are no longer owned by museums and this is
what has strengthened their relationship. Their input is valued and their items are honored
rather than stolen. This early case set a precedent for repatriation and allowed museums
and collectors to come to their own conclusions about the ethics of holding on to sacred
items. The repatriation of the Ahayu:da opened doors for other repatriation cases in the
future by opening the minds of museums to ownership and who truly deserves it.
“NPS Archeology Program: The Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).” National Parks Service. U.S.
Department of the Interior.
M. Jane Young :
"Morning Star, Evening Star : Zuni Traditional Stories", p. 94, n. 3.
In :- Ray A. Williamson & Claire R. Farrer : Earth & Sky : Visions of
the Cosmos in Native American Folklore. University of New Mexico Press,
Albuquerque, 1992. pp. 75-100
Merrill, William L., et al. "The Return of the Ahayu:
Da: Lessons for Repatriation from Zuni Pueblo and the Smithsonian Institution
[and Comments and Replies]." Current Anthropology 34, no. 5 (1993):
523-67. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2744272
Michael Haederle,
"War Gods are Finally at Peace" (Los Angeles: LA Times, 1991)
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