Indian desecration

By Robert Johnson <johnsorl@colorado.edu>
1 September 1995

On Wed, 30 Aug 1995 natchat@gnosys.svle.ma.us wrote:

Original Sender: michael_j_evans@nps.gov (Michael J Evans)
Mailing List: NATCHAT (natchat@gnosys.svle.ma.us)

Regarding the earlier statement that the person in question is selling artifacts allegedly taken from a Native American burial site, I would direct everyone's attention to the section of the law (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990) that addresses illegal trafficking:

Sec. 4 Illegal Trafficking.

(a) ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING.-- Chapter 53 of title 18, Unites States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the follwing new section:

S. 1170. Illegal Trafficking in Native American Human Remains and Cultural Items

(a) Whoever knowingly sells, purchases, uses for profit, or transports for sale or profit, the human remains of a Native American without the right of possession to those remains as provided in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act shall be fined in accordance with this title, or imprisoned not more than 12 months, or both, and in the case of a second or subsequent violation, be fined in accordance with this title, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(b) Whoever knowingly sells, purchases, uses for profit, or transports for sale or profit any Native American cultural items obtained in violation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act shall be fined in accordance with this title, imprisoned not more than one year, or both, and in the case of a second or subsequent violation, be fined in accordance with this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

Michael J. Evans
NAGPRA Coordinator for Parks
National Park Service
Michael_J_Evans@nps.gov

Possibly Mr. Evans could explain why the Petraglyphs in Albuquerque which are the spiritual heritage of the indigenous peoples of Southern Arizona and still held in occupation, are not also so protected? It seems that the government still arrogantly assumes when to observe the law and when it doesn't.

Possibly Mr. Evans could explain why Crow Canyon Archaeological Park, ie Crow Canyon Disneyland, a very profitable non-profit organization with expansion plans into tourist digs throughout New Mexico is still allowed to traffic in Native American cultural heritage and occupy land sacred to the People? Is it that as a facade the government prosecutes the few so that the corporate car salesmen can operate in obscurity and official sanction?

Can Mr. Evans tell us why Dr. David Breternitz of Crow Canyon Disneyland, kicked out of the University of Colorado and still covered-up, is working the deals for the archaeological looting of Native American cultural heritage before the Animus La Plata project gets going good? Did it ever occur to the government that many Native Americans would rather see the dead left in peace and the artifacts buried by water before being further desecrated?

Could Mr. Evans tell us what kind of a timetable the U.S. government has for the return of lands it occupies having stolen them from Native American peoples at the point of a gun, starvation, and genocide?

Robert Johnson
Liberation
Anthropology