Cronkite News Examines Repatriation in Arizona

Is Arizona Lagging in the Implementation of NAGPRA?
Manley Begay Jr. stood surrounded by boxes “stacked to the ceiling” that were filled with the remains of more than 1,000 Native Americans, when one label caught his eye. Canyon Del Muerte. It was where Begay’s family took their livestock to winter on the Navajo Nation. But here, at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University more than two decades ago, it was the label on a box of human remains. “It’s as though you’re experiencing the death of a loved one right before your eyes again and again and again,” said Begay, now a professor at Northern Arizona University. http://bit.ly/1JqntBU – Cronkite News

Arizona State Museum Relies upon Careful Collaboration in the Completion of NAGPRA Mandates 
Despite many tribes’ frustration with the slow pace of the work nationally and with the refusal by some museums to return items they say fall under the law, advocates say the Arizona State Museum stands out as a model for how NAGPRA was intended to be carried out – researchers collaborating with tribes to return items as a measure of good will. http://bit.ly/1Jqo6ve – Cronkite News

An O’odham View on the Importance of Repatriation
Joseph Joaquin sat beneath a mesquite tree at the base of Baboquivari Peak and gestured toward the mountain range and desert plants. “The man we call I’itoi – we call him our creator – he’s the one who created all of this,” said Joaquin, the cultural resource specialist for the Tohono O’odham Nation in Arizona. Baboquivari Peak is sacred to the Tohono O’odham people because that is where I’itoi lives. I’itoi taught the Tohono O’odham how to survive in the desert where they have resided for countless generations. But the Tohono O’odham, like many tribes, believe that their creator and the spirits in their world are not at peace because of decades of government-sanctioned and commercial looting of Native American graves. http://bit.ly/1EdvYJu – Cronkite News

Museum of Northern Arizona Awarded Highest Honor for Museums and Libraries
The Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) is one of four recipients of the 2015 National Medal for Museum and Library Science, the highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to the community. The Museum of Northern Arizona won the award for the ways it impacts the community: offering enriching programs for all children through its Discovery Program, launching a Navajo language summer camp for Diné youth, providing forums that foster dialogue about critical community issues and the future of the region, celebrating the diversity of regional cultures through Heritage Festivals, and by offering a rich variety of exhibitions and public programs. http://bit.ly/1KYIkue – Navajo Hopi Observer

Preservation Archaeology Partnerships at Desperation Ranch
Long-term preservation of archaeological sites is a core element of Preservation Archaeology. Ensuring that important places are available to inform scientific inquiry well into the future is essential to understanding and sharing the past, in order to revisit older ideas and take advantage of new advances in research technology. Some of the most important sites are those that led archaeologists to posit formative ideas in Southwestern archaeology. Such sites often offer the best opportunity to make substantial new contributions to our knowledge of people’s lives in the Southwest in the distant past. http://bit.ly/1ELf8Cq – Archaeology Southwest

The Archaeological Conservancy Preserves Another Important Place of the Past
Tom Davis has generously donated an absolute gem to The Archaeological Conservancy. This gem, the Davis Ranch, has multiple prehistoric sites on it and is located north of Quemado, New Mexico, alongside a dry wash that once may have been the source of water and fertile sediments utilized by the prehistoric inhabitants of the region. The land being donated to the Conservancy will result in five separate pieces ranging in size from approximately 2 acres to 15 acres in size. Each piece of property has its own unique value archaeologically, but taken a whole, represents a significant part of the New Mexico landscape that was utilized for over 12,000 years. http://bit.ly/1JRvygI – Archaeological Conservancy

Preservation at Tucson’s Fort Lowell and Research at the Site of Las Capas Honored with Historic Preservation Awards
Pima County’s restoration of the historic officers quarters at Fort Lowell Park has been recognized with a pair of awards, one from a local historic preservation organization and one from the state. A second county preservation project — an archaeological dig at the Ina Road Wastewater Treatment facility — was also recognized. http://bit.ly/1QUskgQ – Arizona Daily Star

Native Maps
In the beginning, there were no lines. Prior to 1492, North America was a vast wilderness: an expanse of rolling hills, open plains and meandering rivers. There were no state boundaries, no borders between countries and no private property. That’s what Aaron Carapella captures in his Tribal Nations Maps, the only known maps that show what Turtle Island looked like before European contact. http://bit.ly/1IK5YeZ – Indian Country

Pictures of Vandals: Grand Canyon
Since we broke the Casey Nocket / Creepytings story last year, we’ve had a lot of time to think about social media and outdoor vandalism. Does social media encourage vandalism in more remote parts of parks? Can social media be used to track down vandals who would otherwise go unnoticed? You can make a case for either, but we tend to lean on the side of using social media for good. We’ve seen it first hand here, and we’ve also seen it on the web at large – including the recent case of the California family who allegedly vandalized railings near Oregon’s Tumalo Falls. http://bit.ly/1FmcGqD – Modern Hiker

Preserving Places of the Past: Historic Cabins of the Grand Canyon
Hull Cabin is the oldest remaining cabin in the Grand Canyon region of the Kaibab National Forest. It was built 125 years ago by brothers William and Philip Hull – early ranchers, prospectors and guiding entrepreneurs. It’s near the remnants of another cabin which belonged to John Hance, the first resident of the South Rim. And as commentator Scott Thybony says, between the sublime views and the deep solitude, it’s not hard to see why these early pioneers set up shop where they did. http://bit.ly/1Ed2cVl – KNAU Radio

Crow Canyon Offering Free Walking Tour of Research Campus
On this half-mile walking tour, you’ll enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at an archaeological research center. In just one hour, you’ll visit a working archaeology lab, have the opportunity to see ancient artifacts up close, and explore Crow Canyon’s unique educational facilities. You’ll learn about the fascinating work of field and lab archaeologists. You’ll also learn about how Crow Canyon works with American Indians to create a more inclusive American history. http://bit.ly/1POSn6x – Crow Canyon

Travelogue: Fremont
Discovered by sheer luck, a little piece of Utah is sure to impress. Located right off I-70 near Richfield, Fremont Indian State Park is a place that honors and preserves Native America culture in the area. Park volunteer George King sees cars zooming by his favorite place every day, however, he always sees the faces of those who stop. http://bit.ly/1HlRaBC – Deseret News

News of an Archaeological Tragedy in Belize
A construction company has essentially destroyed one of Belize’s largest Mayan pyramids with diggers and bulldozers to extract crushed rock for a road-building project, authorities have announced. The head of the Belize Institute of Archaeology, Jaime Awe, said on Tuesday that the destruction at the Nohmul complex in northern Belize was detected late last week. The ceremonial centre dates back at least 2,300 years and is the most important site in northern Belize, near the border with Mexico. http://bit.ly/1JrifFV – The Guardian