^?MM 3 mii ?' - , | !|3 Published each Thursday since January 18,1973 , I 7-. (S) i-i ^ - - rn -i c ->i 1 1 - ' m fnl ? ?! 7i M if wx (DAMBClDlLimiX nXTCMUiX* WSCBIS1 I z ? | ?1] I " 5L 'I ? jembroke, NC Robeson County I "Building communicative bridges in a tri-racial setting" - I L i ,i .. I PAWNEES REPATRIATE THEIR DEAD FOR REBURIAL Boulder, CO-The Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma re buried the remains and funerary offerings of 408 tribal ancestors at Genoa, Nebraska oo September 11, 1990. The remains of 898 individuals were repatriated on September 10 bom toe keeping of toe Nebraska State Historical Society (NSH8) under toe terms of a state law (LB 840) passed in 1989-over toe objections of toe NSH8--which requires the return of human remains and grave offerings to tribal descendants upon request The remains of five other ancestors of toe Pawnee Tribe, held elsewhere in Nebraska, were also returned to the Tribe and interred at Genoa. Vance Home Chief, acting Head Chief of toe Pawnee Nasharo Council, told one reporter, "Our people am thankful that we're putting these remains beck into the dust of the earth where they came from." This re burial follows two and a half yearn of intensive efforts by Pawnee leaders and attorneys of toe Native American Rights Fund to obtain the release of human remains and burial offerings ancestral to the Pawnee Tribe for the N8H8. During the 1920e--only fifty yearn after the Tribe was forced to leave its Nebraska homeland--NSHS aehaeotogista systematically began to dig up the contents of Pawnee graves and cemeteries for scientific study and public display. Pawnee officials learned of these activities in 1968 and requested that NARF initiate negotiations for the return of all NSHS Pawnee remains and grave offerings for re burial. NARF attorneys have obtained three orders bom the State Attorney General directing that the NSHS cooperate with Tribal researchers and make available archival records rnnnsndag took- "collection ' of Pawnee bodies. In response to requests ler-aecess to additional documents, toe NBtff) filed a lawsuit this year against NARF and the Pawnee Tribe, claiming that Nebraska's open records law does not apply to NSHS records. The NSHS continues to hold human remains and aaaoriete grave offerings which experts believe are ancestral to the Pawnee Tribe; these are the subject of s grievance ffied last summer under Nebraska's precedent setting burial protection law. The NSHS also refused to turn over a number of artifacts which their records indicate ware removed from Pawnee graves, asserting that since the associated humai skeletal remains have since been " discarded" or lost, they do not have to return the offerings tahsn bam those graves to toe Tribe under LB 840. NARF attorneys, as well as hay Nebraska legislators, disagree with this interpretation of the law. This dispute centers in particular upon a George HI medalllion-. dating from the late 18th century-removed from a Pawnee grave in southern Nebraaha togethar with some 88 skull fragments. NSHS officials have asserted that the reburial of this medallion would cripple their ability to depict Nebraska's past Early tola summer the NSHS informed the Pawnee, Tribe that 82 of the associated skull fragments were missing, bat later said that none of the fragments could be located. Fearing that the medallion itself might disappear, NARF attorneys requested that the NSHS make the medallion available to tribal representatives for inspection by an expert, but this request was denied. Several Nebraska legislators, however, were able to gain access for the Tribe on September 10, and Robert Hoge, curator of the American Numismatic Association Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was brought in by NARF and the Pawnee Tribe to authenticate the medallion. Upon examination of the medallion, together with photographs, Hoge discovered that the N8H8 possessed two George ID medallions. The origin of the second medallion in unknown at present, but was apparently purchased within the last year. Referring to the medallion claimed by the Pawnee Tribe for reburial, Nebraska legislator Dennis Baack told the press, "It's totally irrelevant whether the bone fragments were there or not" The NSHSstifl refused to tarn over the medallion for reburial on September 11. Pawnee tribal officials and religious leaden selected Genoa. NE as their preferred site for the reburial, and the City of Genoa offered apace at the municipal cemetery for the Pawnee remains. Mayor Irving Rood commented on the unanimous support of the Genoa City Council and other city officials for the offer. "This is the Pawnee home at Genoa and we think this is the proper place for them." Genoa served as the location of the last Pawnee town (known as Wild licorice Creek) in the Tribe's Nebraska homeland. This earth lodge urban center was founded in 1869 and occupied until 1875, when the last Pawnee residents were removed to Oklahoma. The Tribe selected caskets containing the remains of four elders representing the four Pawnee bands- for placement in the hearse which led the funeral procession to Genoa. These four cidere were eahumed by MBH8 archaeologists from graves at WBd licorice Ctesk. Robert Pteregoy, a NARF attorney who directed legislative lobby efforts for the Pawnee Tribe, views the September 11 reburial as a victory for the Tribe: "The N8HS opposed the wishes of the Pawnee people at every step along the way, citing scientific interest as a Justification for this opposition; but the Tribe was able to prevail because the vast majority of Nebraakana support the concept of burial as a dignified way to treat the deed." Referring to the NSH8 inventory of Pawnee remains, which was assembled under terms set forth by LB 840, Pfcregoy commented, "The Pawnee wish that the NSHS had taken better care of these hitman remains and grave offerings-much was hated as 'missing' in the N8H8 inventory and could not be returned to the Tribe far proper interment to Genoa. Other human remains were dug up by society archaeologists and then simply ' discarded.' The Pawnees hope that the remains rebutted at Genoa have found a permanent haven from disturbance; they have always buried their dead with hope in mind." The Pawnee Tribe is represented in this matter by NARF attorneys Robert M. Bsregoy (Flathead), Walter R Echo-Hawk (Pawnee), and Steven C. Moore. The Native American Rights Fund, nationally headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, ia an Indian legal righto organisation providing repreaentation to over 75 tribal communities throughout the United States. Local Students Participate in MARC Three students from Pembroke and one from Maxton, all juniors, art taking part in P8LTa Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program for thia 1990-91 ?Mifniif year. The throe from Pembroke an Kelvin Oxen dine, Michael Nichols, and Alesia Robledo, while the one from Maxton is Michael Baker. They Join throe senior trainees continuing from last year: Vonda Jacobs, Rowland: Jeanette Locklear, Maxton; and Pamela Locklear, Lumberton. _ The MARC program is funded by the national Institute of Health and is designed to train qualified minority students for careers in biomedical research. The junior trainees spent the summer engaged in intensive research training programs in which they visited the following resesreh institutions: Biology Department of the University of South Carolina at Columbia; Smith, KMne and French Pennaeeutkal Co. in Philadelphia; the Department of Riermneology of the UNC- Chapel Hit Medical School; the National Heart. Lung and Blood Institute at Bethesda, Md.; and the National Institute of Diabetes. Digestive and Kidney Diseases at Bethesda. Md. ] projects at these institutions: both Jacobs and Jeanette I Loddear at the National Heart, Long and Blood Institute at Bethesda. Md; and Pamela Loddear at the National i Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases at bethesda. Md. Part of the summer research program was senior Cornelius Dial, who did research at Ledrle Pharmaceutical Co. at Pbari River. NY. From Oct. 10-13, all MARC trainee* along with program director Dr. David Maxwell and two members s of the PSU faculty. Dr. Harold Taague and Joseph McGirt, attended the annual meeting of all MARC institutions in Nashville, Tenn. They heard many prominent scientists, including Dr. Stanley Cohen. Nobel laureate. The throe continuing senior trainees also mads poster presentations about their summer teeeerch. Rowland Christmas Festival Dec. 1 Rowland Christmas Festival pre perations are underway and the planning committee expects this to be the outstanding community effort oI 1990. The festival, scheduled for Satur day. December 1. will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Main Street and will feature arts and erafto exhibits and sales, the Kidi Cabaret teen-age youth group. Twin State Twiriers square dance performer*. Men'* Choru* from Flm Bapust Church, Lumberton. county wide school art exhibit at Rowland Library, the Spell Binder* story teller* and additional entertainment for all ages. Hie 8:00 p.m. Christmas Parade will start with Santa Claus' spectac ular arrival downtown. A special lighting ceremony of Rowland streets and the community Christmas tree will bo at # p.m.. folio wad by community wida carol singing con ducted by a recognised choir direc tor. A Main Street dance with live muaic. beginning at 8 p.m., will climax the Festival events. ft is noteworthy that the Rowland Christinas Festival is supported by a grant from the Grassroots Aits Program at the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency. Thursday, November 1, 1990 tuD be a special day at Prospect United Methodist Church, Route 3, Box 196, Mexton, NC. There vM be a St.50 plate sale [Vt chicken or bca^b-qve) from 10 a.m. untU 6:30p.m. Then a Gospel Sbsg uM be held at 7:30 p.m. featuring several local groups