Respect the Remains
Like many Universities and Museums across the nation, The University of Texas at El Paso is in possession of human remains that have cultural ties and significance to various Indigenous tribes in the area and beyond. These individuals were taken at a time when the ancestral burial sites of indigenous peoples were not respected and the bones and ceremonial burial objects were kept as commodities and/or to study.
Some of these remains, like those stored at the Centennial Museum, were given to UTEP to store, while others were taken by researchers years ago. Since 1990, with the passing of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Congress has recognized that human remains of any ancestry “must at all times be treated with dignity and respect.”
Institutions are required to consult with tribal representatives and to determine how best to move forward with the remains being held. The staff at the Centennial Museum take seriously their task to work within the NAGPRA regulations and connect with tribes that can be historically and/or culturally related to the remains. Efforts have taken place and continue to move forward to carry out this important mission.
By signing this petition, I am acknowledging that upon learning about this situation, I support the continued efforts of members of the UTEP staff like the Centennial Museum, that work toward rectifying this long standing issue. Any effort needed to carry out this important task needs to be prioritized by the university at large, because regardless of my own background, I too feel that these remains “must at all times be treated with dignity and respect.”