Our Responsibility and Active Repatriation
In 1996, UW-Madison began actively participating in NAGPRA by reporting Native American ancestors and cultural items in our care to the National NAGPRA Program. We initially focused on repatriation efforts within the state of Wisconsin and reconciling federal holdings. Over the subsequent years, we have completed consultations with 14 Tribes, and continue to prioritize a fostered positive relationship with all Tribes and Nations who have a cultural interest in the state of Wisconsin.
From the period of 2006 through today, UW-Madison has continued to prioritize repatriation. Our ethical and legal obligations assist us in transitioning these ancestors through active consultation with our Tribal partners. We have successfully secured funding to assist with this process through National NAGPRA Program-sponsored grants in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2021. We also actively serve as a resource to other UW campuses and Wisconsin institutions to provide repatriation assistance.
To date, we have submitted 18 publications in the Federal Register, representing 163 ancestors and 179 funerary objects from the state of Wisconsin.
Our continued philosophy of transparency and tribal and federal collaboration has resulted in the repatriation of over 400 ancestors and over 3,500 funerary objects.
Duty of Care
UW-Madison recognizes and supports the cultural sensitivity of the ancestors and cultural items in our care and strives to meet restricted access, storage, and handling requirements as requested by our Tribal partners during consultation. In general, the use of photography, inappropriate handling or care, additional disruptive analysis, or publication is prohibited unless approved during consultation.
NAGPRA Step-by-Step
The Universities of Wisconsin approved a System-wide NAGPRA compliance policy, UW System Administrative Policy 645, “Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Compliance,” (SYS 645) on October 31, 2023. This policy provides guidance on consistent NAGPRA compliance across the UW campuses.
UW-Madison follows a campus-wide NAGPRA compliance policy (UW-175) that addresses acquisition, care, and repatriation. This policy expands on SYS 645 to address logistics specific to this campus. The associated “UW Campus NAGPRA Procedures” provide instructions to units across this large campus to facilitate the campus and system policies.
You can learn more about our legal compliance activities by selecting each of the following:
UW-Madison NAGPRA Reporting
Inventories Summaries Publications
UW-Madison NAGPRA Inventory and Summary Details (password-protected)
UW-Madison NAGPRA Compliance Policies and Procedures
SYS 645 UW NAGPRA Compliance Policy (UW-175) UW Campus NAGPRA Procedures
Frequently Asked Questions
Please visit the National NAGPRA Program’s Frequently Asked Questions page for an explanation of some of the basics of NAGPRA law and regulations.