ABSTRACT
Cultural objects compel and inspire. They can empower and engage those who value them as manifestations of long-enduring beliefs. They can intrigue and seduce those who see them as exotic collectibles. Strong and contrasting opinions shape the tumultuous dynamics of claims to cultural property. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) endeavors to redress some of the historical injustices inflicted on the cultural heritage of Indigenous people in the United States. NAGPRA is a leap forward in terms of national efforts to acknowledge some of the myriad traumas and injustices inflicted on Native peoples. At the same time, however, it is constricted by its own language and by the realities of bureaucracy and clashing worldviews that linger and continue to dampen the force of Native voices who seek just resolution of historical wrongs through repossession and control over their cultural legacy.
