Native American Related News and Statements
Disposition of Native American Remains and Funerary Objects
April 06, 2015
Grand Valley State University recognizes the ethical and legal necessity of preserving and honoring the rights of Native American tribes and communities, particularly regarding ancestral remains and artifacts. It is with great respect for Native American tribes and communities that GVSU assures that the human remains and funerary objects that have been held by the university be returned to their rightful place among their lineal descendants and affiliated tribes.
The GVSU community expresses a deep desire to build strong and lasting relationships with our Native American community partners, and respects and honors the legal and human rights of Native American communities and tribes across the state and the nation. We are deeply honored by the friendship and partnership of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Gun Lake Band of Potawatomi Indians and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians throughout the recent disposition and repatriation process. We also recognize the commitment and assistance of the many individuals and organizations who have made the pending return possible including our Native American community leaders, the GVSU Anthropology Department, and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Program. These efforts would also have not been possible without the leadership and guidance of the Native American Advisory Board, which was established by GVSU’s Division of Inclusion & Equity in 2013.
We invite the entire GVSU community to participate in upcoming educational events which will recognize the importance and relevance of returning ancestral remains back into the hands of the Nation’s first people.