Native News
NAGPRA Training to Be Held at University of Montana
The Association on American Indian Affairs (the Association) is hosting a training at the University of Montana to help Plains tribes facilitate the return of remains and sacred objects under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)
Held from May 12-14, the training will cover NAGPRA—the law requiring institutions that receive federal funds to return remains and sacred objects to tribes. Participants will receive hands-on training in legal requirements, compliance strategies and documentation, and collections management practices tied to repatriation.
Sessions will include mock scenarios, collaborative problem-solving exercises, talking circles, and focused workshops designed to equip participants with practical tools they can apply immediately within their Nations and institutions.
The training is available for Native Nations with homelands in Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wyoming, as well as institutions with collections affiliated to the Plains and Plains Peoples.
“The Association has spent several years developing a comprehensive curriculum to support NAGPRA Compliance to benefit Native Peoples in support of the return of stolen culture, as the legislation requires,” Shannon O’Loughlin (Choctaq), the Association’s CEO and Attorney, said in a press release. “By bringing together Native Nations and institutions in the Plains region, we can work together to provide tools for Native Nation advocacy and institution compliance, support collaborative practices and relationship protocols to ensure that Ancestors and cultural heritage are returned with respect and accountability.”
The training will also host a special cultural event with dinner, creating space for connection, relationship-building, and shared learning among repatriation practitioners.
The training is made possible through a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation, as well as support from the University of Montana Provost Office.
NAGRPA was enacted into law in 1990. While it was originally estimated that cultural items and remains held by institutions would be returned within a decade, more than 100,000 are still unrepatriated.
Registration is open through Friday, May 1, 2026. Regular registration is $250, and Native Nation officials and representatives and small museums with annual budgets under $500,000 may attend free of charge. Vendor and exhibitor spaces are also available. Organizations and partners interested in supporting this training can contact general@Indian-Affairs.org.