Post by Matthew S. Schweitzer on Nov 14, 2003 14:51:13 GMT -5
I came across this article from the Toledo Blade and thought it might be interesting for discussion among members here. I have heard about some of the issues brought up in this article but have not seen much follow-up info. Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on this?
(Article published July 12, 2002)
State told to dig into Ft. Meigs handling of remains
By REBEKAH SCOTT
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Centuries-old human remains dug from a Perrysburg riverbank are coming
back to haunt officials from the Ohio Historical Society.
Local historians Patricia Garver and Debbie Wikstrom and Native American
activist Barbara Mann met yesterday at Government Center with the head
of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission looking for a fair way to get
700-year-old Native American remains returned and reburied at Fort Meigs
State Memorial Park. Archaeologists from the society secretly dug up the
Indian burial sites at Fort Meigs over the past few months, and spirited
the remains away to their anthropology laboratory in Columbus.
More remains, taken from a forgotten pioneer cemetery also unearthed at
the fort during renovations, were analyzed at the lab as well, but they
will be returned to Perrysburg for burial. The Indian bones will stay in
Columbus, Martha Otto, head archaeologist, said.
Ms. Mann, a University of Toledo lecturer, is descended from Ohio
Iroquois and is a member of the Native American Alliance of Ohio.
She told the civil rights commissioners the historical society violates
the 1990 federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
each time it disinters Indian bones. "And OHS is an equal-opportunity
discriminator," she said. "They also dug up the remains of the Spafford
family, white pioneers. But the Spafford descendents complained, so they
get their remains back. ... The Native American remains are in a
warehouse."
She said security is lax at Fort Meigs and looters frequent the site
seeking artifacts to trade and sell. She said Fort Meigs officials store
prime finds in desk drawers and boxes, flouting conventional curatorial
procedures. "We?d like the commission to investigate the situation at
Fort Meigs. Someone needs to hold [historical society?s] feet to the
fire," she said.
G. Michael Payton, executive director of the civil rights commission,
said returning remains from extinct Indian tribes for reburial is much
more complex than it appears.
"Any fair-minded citizen rejects the notion of their forebears? remains
being disturbed. That?s what touches the heart," he said. "But what
looks simple at first becomes very complex, very fast.
"We?ll see if the commission has any jurisdiction here. We?ll help any
way we can," Mr. Payton said. "But when it comes to sending back bones,
federal law governs that. I?m not sure what we can do on the state
level. ...
"I think it?s going to take political intervention to resolve this - on
a federal level," he said.
Mark Kautzmann, civil rights commission compliance chief, said his
agency?s jurisdiction is limited to questions of employment, housing,
credit, higher education, and public accommodation. It oversees burial
lots as well, but only in established graveyards.
He said he doesn?t know if discrimination law extends to 800-year-old
bundle burials, but Stephanie Bostos-Demers, a civil rights attorney for
the state Attorney General?s Office, said she will find out.
Mr. Payton said he doesn?t know how long that will take, but he will
meet with the historical society director to discuss the issue.
But what Ms. Garver and Ms. Wikstrom want may be outside any legal
purview.
"Fort Meigs is such a treasure. I have so much trouble with the
cavalier, disrespectful treatment that site is given by the people it?s
entrusted to," said Ms. Wikstrom, a master?s-level preservation intern
who worked at the site. during the excavations.
"They know the laws, but no one feels they have to follow them. And
who?s watching them? Who?s the watchdog at the historical society?"
Ms. Garver said the small corps of volunteers at Fort Meigs is
overworked, unappreciated, and sometimes told not to discuss what they
know of fort operations under threat of being barred from the site.
"My question for the society and [Fort Meigs Site Manager Larry Nelson]
is, ?What?s the big secret??" Ms. Wikstrom said. "If everything is being
done properly, there should be no fear of public scrutiny."
Mr. Nelson said yesterday he did not know the women were meeting with
the officials. He referred questions to historical society headquarters.
Jim Strider, a society spokesman, said he?s never heard any criticism of
Mr. Nelson?s methods, and all society excavations "comply completely
with the laws that pertain to human remains."
Late yesterday, however, Mr. Strider said heads of the society?s
curatorial and site management departments are now arranging a meeting
in Perrysburg with Ms. Garver and Ms. Wikstrom.
(Article published July 12, 2002)
State told to dig into Ft. Meigs handling of remains
By REBEKAH SCOTT
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Centuries-old human remains dug from a Perrysburg riverbank are coming
back to haunt officials from the Ohio Historical Society.
Local historians Patricia Garver and Debbie Wikstrom and Native American
activist Barbara Mann met yesterday at Government Center with the head
of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission looking for a fair way to get
700-year-old Native American remains returned and reburied at Fort Meigs
State Memorial Park. Archaeologists from the society secretly dug up the
Indian burial sites at Fort Meigs over the past few months, and spirited
the remains away to their anthropology laboratory in Columbus.
More remains, taken from a forgotten pioneer cemetery also unearthed at
the fort during renovations, were analyzed at the lab as well, but they
will be returned to Perrysburg for burial. The Indian bones will stay in
Columbus, Martha Otto, head archaeologist, said.
Ms. Mann, a University of Toledo lecturer, is descended from Ohio
Iroquois and is a member of the Native American Alliance of Ohio.
She told the civil rights commissioners the historical society violates
the 1990 federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
each time it disinters Indian bones. "And OHS is an equal-opportunity
discriminator," she said. "They also dug up the remains of the Spafford
family, white pioneers. But the Spafford descendents complained, so they
get their remains back. ... The Native American remains are in a
warehouse."
She said security is lax at Fort Meigs and looters frequent the site
seeking artifacts to trade and sell. She said Fort Meigs officials store
prime finds in desk drawers and boxes, flouting conventional curatorial
procedures. "We?d like the commission to investigate the situation at
Fort Meigs. Someone needs to hold [historical society?s] feet to the
fire," she said.
G. Michael Payton, executive director of the civil rights commission,
said returning remains from extinct Indian tribes for reburial is much
more complex than it appears.
"Any fair-minded citizen rejects the notion of their forebears? remains
being disturbed. That?s what touches the heart," he said. "But what
looks simple at first becomes very complex, very fast.
"We?ll see if the commission has any jurisdiction here. We?ll help any
way we can," Mr. Payton said. "But when it comes to sending back bones,
federal law governs that. I?m not sure what we can do on the state
level. ...
"I think it?s going to take political intervention to resolve this - on
a federal level," he said.
Mark Kautzmann, civil rights commission compliance chief, said his
agency?s jurisdiction is limited to questions of employment, housing,
credit, higher education, and public accommodation. It oversees burial
lots as well, but only in established graveyards.
He said he doesn?t know if discrimination law extends to 800-year-old
bundle burials, but Stephanie Bostos-Demers, a civil rights attorney for
the state Attorney General?s Office, said she will find out.
Mr. Payton said he doesn?t know how long that will take, but he will
meet with the historical society director to discuss the issue.
But what Ms. Garver and Ms. Wikstrom want may be outside any legal
purview.
"Fort Meigs is such a treasure. I have so much trouble with the
cavalier, disrespectful treatment that site is given by the people it?s
entrusted to," said Ms. Wikstrom, a master?s-level preservation intern
who worked at the site. during the excavations.
"They know the laws, but no one feels they have to follow them. And
who?s watching them? Who?s the watchdog at the historical society?"
Ms. Garver said the small corps of volunteers at Fort Meigs is
overworked, unappreciated, and sometimes told not to discuss what they
know of fort operations under threat of being barred from the site.
"My question for the society and [Fort Meigs Site Manager Larry Nelson]
is, ?What?s the big secret??" Ms. Wikstrom said. "If everything is being
done properly, there should be no fear of public scrutiny."
Mr. Nelson said yesterday he did not know the women were meeting with
the officials. He referred questions to historical society headquarters.
Jim Strider, a society spokesman, said he?s never heard any criticism of
Mr. Nelson?s methods, and all society excavations "comply completely
with the laws that pertain to human remains."
Late yesterday, however, Mr. Strider said heads of the society?s
curatorial and site management departments are now arranging a meeting
in Perrysburg with Ms. Garver and Ms. Wikstrom.