GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A new set of regulations hopes to help display the history of Native American tribes across the nation in a respectful way.
Earlier this month, regulations set by the Biden administration for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act went into effect. It requires museums that display Native American artifacts to get consent from tribes or native organizations to do so.
Grand Rapids Public Museum curator Ed Pigeon says new regulations is a step in the right direction in a conversation that has been happening for years.
“I would say really, it's, it's just common human decency,” said Pigeon. "It means that it's not only my ancestors that we're talking about, but if it was anybody else, and your ancestors or his ancestors, anybody really In this position, you would want to make sure that your people are taking care of them dealt with in a respectful manner.”
He says the museum has already been doing this for years, making sure that every piece you see in the Anishinaabek exhibit has been approved to be displayed.
“We actually have a human remains policy where anything that is either our ancestors or even any of the others are not displayed here any longer, and we're working to make sure that everything is returned to the proper place,” said Pigeon.
Even though these new regulations will lead to changes, Pigeon says the conversation around native artifacts will continue.
“I think that this is going to be a constant and always evolving process. So it's, it's a relationship between our smaller community and the broader community and how we tell our stories, is really important,” said Pigeon.
The exhibit is the first core exhibit to expand as part of the museums over all expansion.
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