The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is a sovereign tribal government whose inherent authority predates the existence of the United States. Throughout the process of recent NAGPRA rulemaking process, the Tribe has expressed its intent to exercise its sovereign authority in the consultation process, to be expressed through tribal policy. The Miami Tribe views the NAGPRA Regulations as a minimum standard and not as a limiting document.

When engaging in NAGPRA consultation with the Miami Tribe, an institution should expect requests and recommendations that go beyond the minimum standards established by the NAGPRA Regulations. The Tribe believes, and its experience has demonstrated, that these requests are reasonable, lead to more thorough and meaningful consultation, and promote a productive discussion about reasonable solutions to issues that might arise. For the consultation process to be successful, Tribes must have the exclusive right to determine affiliation and express the intent to repatriate their ancestors, regardless of any statements or opinions to the contrary.

The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma is committed to the proper and comprehensive application of the consultation process provided by federal law to repatriate our sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony, as well as return our ancestors and their belongings peacefully back to the earth. The Tribe endorses the concept of compliance as the good-faith efforts of institutions to consult with federally recognized Tribes, as stated in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

The Miami Tribe NAGPRA Program believes that relationship-building is vital to the success of the consultation process. The reciprocal investment in relationship-building creates an environment where trust and mutual respect lead to respectful consultation and help to ensure final repatriation outcomes that bring healing and closure to all involved. This work takes time. Each Tribal Nation is unique in identity, government, culture, and language. We encourage all institutions who have not begun to consult with federally recognized Tribes regarding NAGPRA to start as soon as practicable and to be patient and respectful in the process so as to understand the unique cultural identity of the sovereign Nation they are engaging with. To the new generation of archeologists and collections administrators who recognize the importance of complying with NAGPRA, we offer our assistance in your compliance efforts.


For more information on repatriation rules and regulations, please visit the Manual and Policies pages.

For more information about the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, please visit our Tribal Website.