What is NAGPRA?
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law that was enacted in 1990. This law provides a process for museums and Federal agencies to return Native American ancestral remains and cultural items (funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony) to lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian Organizations.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is fully committed to actively pursue the repatriation and disposition of tribal ancestors and cultural items according to both the published regulations and the spirit of the law.
Learn about the NAGPRA process at UW-Madison.
Request information about Inventories or Summaries submitted by UW-Madison or submit a claim for repatriation or disposition.
NAGPRA In the News
NAGPRA legislation has experienced a few updates and changes since the original enactment in 1990. In the fall of 2021, the National NAGPRA Program began efforts to update verbiage and streamline the regulations process to make it easier and more efficient to comply with NAGPRA. Revised regulations were promulgated on December 13, 2023. Visit the National NAGPRA Program website learn more.
The Universities of Wisconsin approved UW System Administrative Policy 645, “Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Compliance” on October 31, 2023. This policy provides guidance on consistent compliance across the UW campuses. Click on the link to find out more about this policy.