UND has announced that remains of “dozens” of ancestral Native Americans, as well as sacred objects, were discovered on campus earlier this year.
University President Andrew Armacost today (Wed) confirmed the discovery, saying the remains are believed to be partial skeletal remains from dozens of people.
Laine Lyons of the UND Alumni Association, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, said a ceremonial pipe was discovered in March while UND conducted research about what Native artifacts the university had. That led to the discovery of a box in a closet.
“When we opened it, that’s when the first set of ancestral remains were found,” said Lyons, her voice quivering. “It was immediate that we knew that we had a bigger problem and that we were one of those institutions that didn’t do the right thing.”
Armacost said when the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act was approved in 1990, UND had a responsibility to return ancestors and sacred objects to their tribal lands.
Armacost said although the effort fell short at UND, the University is committed to full and complete repatriation. He said it may take several years.
Armacost said, “In addition, there are sacred artifacts, funerary items, and other items of cultural significance and the total number there is about 250 boxes.”
He added, “The most important thing I can convey to members of the campus is the deep sense of sadness that I personally feel, and that the members of the UND community should feel in this case, to acknowledge the mistakes that have been made, to pledge our support to tribal nation members and leaders, spiritual leaders, historical officers we owe them our support. And most importantly, we owe them the commitment that the university is going to take this to the completion and we’re going to make sure that all ancestors are returned home as quickly as possible.”
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(Statement from UND President:)
Dear Members of the UND Community,
I write this message with a heavy heart. In March, I was approached by a thoughtful team of faculty and staff members who raised a troubling issue. In the course of their work, they found on campus sacred objects from Indigenous communities. They also found human remains, which – in the tradition of tribal nations – are known as ancestors. These are believed to be partial skeletal remains from dozens of individuals.
First, I sincerely express my apologies and heartfelt regrets that UND has not already repatriated these ancestors and sacred objects as they should have been years ago. Second, I pledge my administration’s full support and commitment to the tribal nations impacted by this mistake. Our primary goal now is to work diligently until all ancestors and sacred objects are returned home, regardless of how long it takes.
Upon learning of this discovery, we reached out immediately to representatives from a half-dozen tribal nations. That number has now grown to thirteen and will continue to expand. We have been collaborating with them and seeking their advice for more than four months to make certain this work is done correctly, and this will continue until completion.
When the federal law known as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) was approved in 1990, the University had a responsibility to return ancestors and sacred objects to their tribal lands. Although this effort inexplicably fell short at UND, we are fully committed to righting this wrong. On campus, we have formed a NAGPRA Compliance Committee to work with tribal representatives in guiding our repatriation efforts, explaining cultural protocols, and assisting us in meeting the requirements of state and federal laws.
To conduct this process in a dignified and respectful manner, UND made no public statements during the initial contact phase with tribal authorities and the appropriate state and federal agencies. This decision was made in accordance with the guidance and wishes provided by the tribal representatives. During the early stages of this process, we have observed Indigenous customs and traditions in the handling of the ancestors and sacred objects, to the very best of our abilities.
We have also worked with government agencies to make certain we comply with the law as we undertake the repatriation process. The tribal representatives are leading efforts in their communities to share information about the repatriation work at the appropriate times and locations.
Repatriation will take time and hard work, perhaps several years. UND will hire the appropriate cultural resource consultants to help with this process. The remaining collection at UND is significant, with dozens of ancestors and several hundred containers of objects taken from Indigenous land and communities, requiring painstaking labor for identification and placement.
Coming on the heels of other recent revelations about historic wrongs inflicted on Indigenous people in the United States and Canada, members of our tribal communities in the region will undoubtedly be deeply affected by this news from UND. While I cannot take away their pain, I can apologize on behalf of UND for our mistakes. The tribal communities have my assurance that as a University, we are strongly committed to repatriation.
For those who are impacted by this news, we have resources on campus to support you. Professor Doug McDonald runs our Indians into Psychology Doctoral Education (INPSYED) program, and he and his team are available with counseling services in support of Native American students, faculty, and staff. They can be reached at 701.777.4495 or 4497. The University Counseling Center also provides great support to students, and you can reach them at 701.777.2127.
Our UND land acknowledgement statement is a symbol of how seriously we – the University community – take issues impacting the Indigenous tribes of the region who call this land their home. Yet, the work of repatriation goes beyond an acknowledgment of the land and requires a true commitment to the Indigenous people who inhabit the land and to their ancestors. I pledge to see this through until all ancestors and sacred artifacts are brought home. As our repatriation efforts proceed, we will work with all involved to share timely information.
We have launched a repatriation webpage here (Web page will go live later in the day on Wednesday, Aug. 31) that explains UND’s repatriation process to date. It also includes an email address, UND.inforequest@UND.edu, to send your repatriation-related questions, as well as frequently asked questions and answers on repatriation.
Andrew P. Armacost
President
University of North Dakota
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(Statements from Gov. Burgum, Nathan Davis:)
Gov. Doug Burgum and North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission Executive Director Nathan Davis released the following statements today regarding the University of North Dakota’s efforts to repatriate Native American remains and artifacts to their tribes of origin.
“We are heartbroken by the deeply insensitive treatment of these indigenous ancestral remains and artifacts and extend our deepest apologies to the sovereign tribal nations in North Dakota and beyond,” Burgum said. “This dark chapter, while extremely hurtful, also presents an opportunity to enhance our understanding and respect for indigenous cultures and to become a model for the nation by conducting this process with the utmost deference to the wishes, customs and traditions of tribal nations. We appreciate the deeply thoughtful, respectful approach being taken by UND and President Armacost, including their decision to reach out immediately to tribal representatives. We pledge to work with our tribal partners with understanding and mutual respect and assist wherever possible as UND and the North Dakota University System move toward ensured compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).”
“As terrible as this news has been, and as insensitive and inexcusable the treatment of our ancestors has been historically in the name of science, I would like to commend and thank President Armacost and his team, including Native American faculty and staff, who have been leading these efforts,” Davis said. “Sometimes as a leader the best thing that you can do is listen to those around you. The efforts to ensure that our people were not an afterthought is something that spoke volumes to me. While there is no way we can ever forget what has happened to our ancestors, we can honor them by making sure they return home to rest. We have a unique opportunity to honor them by changing the way that repatriation is done, as we all know that this work sadly isn’t over.”
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ND University System statement regarding UND’s repatriation and commitment to Indigenous communities
“We fully support the University of North Dakota’s repatriation efforts and stand with them as they proceed to rightfully return ancestors and sacred objects to their tribal lands. The institution’s thoughtful and respectful approach will ensure that the artifacts are handled appropriately and with the ancestral reverence that is deserved. Moreover, we are committed to Indigenous communities on all our campuses. Working through our campus presidents, we will coordinate a systemwide review of policies related to the respect and inclusion of our Indigenous population and ensure we are compliant with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).”
North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott
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