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| New Yale Partner Faulted for Handling of Tribal Artifacts | New Yale Partner Faulted for Handling of Tribal Artifacts |
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| NEWTON, Mass. — A 210-year-old seminary here that is in the process of joining Yale Divinity School is coming under fire from federal regulators for failing to follow a law designed to ensure the return of sacred and other special artifacts to Native American tribes. | NEWTON, Mass. — A 210-year-old seminary here that is in the process of joining Yale Divinity School is coming under fire from federal regulators for failing to follow a law designed to ensure the return of sacred and other special artifacts to Native American tribes. |
| The Andover Newton Theological School has a collection of 158 Native American items, including locks of hair, wampum belts, “peace pipes” and finely beaded ceremonial garb, mostly gathered in the 19th century by Christian missionaries. For about 70 years, the artifacts have been housed at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass. | The Andover Newton Theological School has a collection of 158 Native American items, including locks of hair, wampum belts, “peace pipes” and finely beaded ceremonial garb, mostly gathered in the 19th century by Christian missionaries. For about 70 years, the artifacts have been housed at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass. |
| But the museum alerted the United States Department of the Interior two years ago when the Newton school, which is struggling with low enrollment, proposed selling some items to raise money. Officials quickly warned the school that a sale would violate a federal law that says any organization that receives federal funding must make every effort to return any spiritual or culturally significant items it holds to the tribes. | But the museum alerted the United States Department of the Interior two years ago when the Newton school, which is struggling with low enrollment, proposed selling some items to raise money. Officials quickly warned the school that a sale would violate a federal law that says any organization that receives federal funding must make every effort to return any spiritual or culturally significant items it holds to the tribes. |
| Last week, federal officials sent another warning letter to the seminary because it still has not complied by sending inventories of the items to tribes, as required. | Last week, federal officials sent another warning letter to the seminary because it still has not complied by sending inventories of the items to tribes, as required. |
| “Is Andover being negligent or incompetent?” David Tarler, a federal official tasked with enforcing the law, said in an interview. “Are they confused about the law but acting in good faith? I can’t answer that question.” | “Is Andover being negligent or incompetent?” David Tarler, a federal official tasked with enforcing the law, said in an interview. “Are they confused about the law but acting in good faith? I can’t answer that question.” |
| School officials said they “abruptly pivoted” after the initial warning in 2015 and decided that no sale would take place. They blame delays on the difficulty of searching spotty historical records to determine which objects might belong to what tribes. | School officials said they “abruptly pivoted” after the initial warning in 2015 and decided that no sale would take place. They blame delays on the difficulty of searching spotty historical records to determine which objects might belong to what tribes. |
| “We’re trying to play catch up and do the right thing,” said the Rev. Martin B. Copenhaver, the seminary’s president. He said the school intends to return items when the research is completed. | “We’re trying to play catch up and do the right thing,” said the Rev. Martin B. Copenhaver, the seminary’s president. He said the school intends to return items when the research is completed. |
| Gregory E. Sterling, the dean of the Yale Divinity School, said in an email that the university supports the “proper treatment of Native American artifacts and respect for Native American culture and dignity.” | Gregory E. Sterling, the dean of the Yale Divinity School, said in an email that the university supports the “proper treatment of Native American artifacts and respect for Native American culture and dignity.” |
| Under the federal law known as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, only sacred items, objects of cultural significance, funerary items and human remains must be returned to the tribes. More everyday items — like a pair of moccasins — do not need to be returned. But the full inventory must be completed and sent to the affected tribes for their review. | Under the federal law known as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, only sacred items, objects of cultural significance, funerary items and human remains must be returned to the tribes. More everyday items — like a pair of moccasins — do not need to be returned. But the full inventory must be completed and sent to the affected tribes for their review. |
| The seminary has inventoried about half of the 158 items, building on earlier work done by the museum. Mr. Tarler acknowledged that the law could be a burden for institutions that were “short-staffed or not experienced” with ethnographic research. | The seminary has inventoried about half of the 158 items, building on earlier work done by the museum. Mr. Tarler acknowledged that the law could be a burden for institutions that were “short-staffed or not experienced” with ethnographic research. |
| Tribes have long been frustrated by the pace of repatriation under the law. Museums, scholarly institutions and other organizations continue to retain possession of 182,000 items classified as human remains, as well as untold millions of ritual artifacts, according to federal records. Many objects were collected decades ago by archaeologists, missionaries and souvenir hunters; others were unearthed during industrial excavations or reclamation projects on lands inhabited by native tribes. | Tribes have long been frustrated by the pace of repatriation under the law. Museums, scholarly institutions and other organizations continue to retain possession of 182,000 items classified as human remains, as well as untold millions of ritual artifacts, according to federal records. Many objects were collected decades ago by archaeologists, missionaries and souvenir hunters; others were unearthed during industrial excavations or reclamation projects on lands inhabited by native tribes. |
| Rosita Worl, a Tlingit tribe member and president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Alaska, said her tribe is seeking the return of a halibut fishhook that it deems sacred and that is now part of the seminary’s collection. She said she had contacted the seminary several times in 2015 to urge it to “act in accordance with their own stated mission in recognizing our spiritual beliefs,” but “never received a single, direct response.” | Rosita Worl, a Tlingit tribe member and president of the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Alaska, said her tribe is seeking the return of a halibut fishhook that it deems sacred and that is now part of the seminary’s collection. She said she had contacted the seminary several times in 2015 to urge it to “act in accordance with their own stated mission in recognizing our spiritual beliefs,” but “never received a single, direct response.” |
| While federal officials have the ability to levy fines to enforce the law, they rarely do against institutions that are making an effort, officials said. | While federal officials have the ability to levy fines to enforce the law, they rarely do against institutions that are making an effort, officials said. |
| Andover Newton, just outside Boston, is the oldest graduate seminary in the country. Its notable graduates include Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, the founder of education for the deaf. It is selling its prime hilltop real estate to move to Yale’s campus where it will function as a “school within a school” and focus on training candidates for Congregationalist ministries. | |
| Dean Sterling declined to comment on whether Yale, as a condition of its partnership with the seminary, would end up assuming control of the collection. | Dean Sterling declined to comment on whether Yale, as a condition of its partnership with the seminary, would end up assuming control of the collection. |
| Displaying ceremonial artifacts is a particular affront to tribe members. “We shouldn’t have to go to some big-city museum to view our stuff behind glass,” said Donovin Sprague, an archivist and member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, which has requested a hair lock from the Newton seminary’s collection. | Displaying ceremonial artifacts is a particular affront to tribe members. “We shouldn’t have to go to some big-city museum to view our stuff behind glass,” said Donovin Sprague, an archivist and member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, which has requested a hair lock from the Newton seminary’s collection. |
| Some museums, mindful of tribal sensitivities, exhibit only so-called everyday items like clothing, headdresses and cook pots, while others still showcase ritual items that have not been claimed under the act. | Some museums, mindful of tribal sensitivities, exhibit only so-called everyday items like clothing, headdresses and cook pots, while others still showcase ritual items that have not been claimed under the act. |
| In 2015, when the seminary had the Native American items appraised, Peabody Essex museum officials objected to the proposed sale, which Dan Monroe, the museum director, called a “break of trust” between the institutions. He said the museum had spent roughly $700,000 curating the artifacts over the years, including photographing them. | In 2015, when the seminary had the Native American items appraised, Peabody Essex museum officials objected to the proposed sale, which Dan Monroe, the museum director, called a “break of trust” between the institutions. He said the museum had spent roughly $700,000 curating the artifacts over the years, including photographing them. |
| “We hadn’t expended that energy, money and effort over the decades so they could monetize the collection,” he said of the seminary. | “We hadn’t expended that energy, money and effort over the decades so they could monetize the collection,” he said of the seminary. |
| Mr. Monroe has told the seminary that it must remove the artifacts from the museum soon. It is unclear what will happen to the collection then, but the seminary said the artifacts would be safeguarded as it worked to repatriate them. | Mr. Monroe has told the seminary that it must remove the artifacts from the museum soon. It is unclear what will happen to the collection then, but the seminary said the artifacts would be safeguarded as it worked to repatriate them. |
| Mr. Copenhaver said that Andover Newton has considered donating the artifacts and has been in discussions with two institutions that he declined to identify. Mr. Tarler said that even if the collection were transferred, Andover would still be responsible for complying with the federal law to track the items and possibly return them to the tribes. | |
| The seminary would not comment on the appraised value of the collection, but one of the more valuable pieces would appear to be a wampum belt that has already been claimed by the Onondaga tribe. Similar wampum belts held by private collectors have fetched nearly $100,000 at auction. | The seminary would not comment on the appraised value of the collection, but one of the more valuable pieces would appear to be a wampum belt that has already been claimed by the Onondaga tribe. Similar wampum belts held by private collectors have fetched nearly $100,000 at auction. |
| In a 2015 letter to federal officials, the seminary said it planned to reach out to the tribe about returning the belt, but the tribe’s representative, Tony Gonyea, said they have not heard from the school as yet. | In a 2015 letter to federal officials, the seminary said it planned to reach out to the tribe about returning the belt, but the tribe’s representative, Tony Gonyea, said they have not heard from the school as yet. |
| When the missionaries first collected the artifacts, Mr. Monroe said, “The attitude was: They worship this mask, they think this fishhook is important. They’re quaint and primitive and thank God we’re here to save their souls.” | When the missionaries first collected the artifacts, Mr. Monroe said, “The attitude was: They worship this mask, they think this fishhook is important. They’re quaint and primitive and thank God we’re here to save their souls.” |
| But times have changed, said Mr. Sprague of the Sioux tribe. There is more respect these days for tribes reclaiming their cultural heritage from museums and federal repositories. Still, the process isn’t easy, he said. Mr. Sprague said the Sioux have been working with the seminary for roughly a year on returning the hair lock. “At one point, it was all green light — come and get it, but it’s a strange case,” he said, adding “it’s still limping along.” | But times have changed, said Mr. Sprague of the Sioux tribe. There is more respect these days for tribes reclaiming their cultural heritage from museums and federal repositories. Still, the process isn’t easy, he said. Mr. Sprague said the Sioux have been working with the seminary for roughly a year on returning the hair lock. “At one point, it was all green light — come and get it, but it’s a strange case,” he said, adding “it’s still limping along.” |