In the more than 30-year battle between tribes seeking the repatriation of their ancestors’ remains and cultural items, and the institutions holding them, there are several excuses institutions use that do little to facilitate respect for tribes and compliance with federal law.
Museums say they are short-staffed, or their budget is limited, or that limited documentation makes it difficult to identify where some human remains and items originally came from.
One museum in the Midwest told Native N...