Presentation: No More Stolen Ancestors: The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Reparation Efforts
The Southwest Florida Archaeological Society (SWFAS) is pleased to announce a presentation on No More Stolen Ancestors: The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Reparation Efforts. The presentation will be held March 15, at 7 p.m., at the IMAG History & Science Center, 2000 Cranford Ave., Fort Myers. This is a free public program.
About the presentation
Tina Osceola, director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) at the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation in Clewiston, will explain what repatriation is and its meaning to the Seminoles. This explains why the efforts of the Seminole tribe’s repatriation committee carries the motto ‘No More Stolen Ancestors.’ She will be joined in her presentation by two archaeologists that work with her at the Big Cypress Reservation. The Seminole Repatriation Committee has been making strategic moves to keep pressure on institutions like the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), which has a collection of about 1,500 Seminole ancestor burials and tens of thousands of archaeological objects, some are of a religious and ceremonial nature. Much of the new federal legislation applies only to institutions and entities that accept federal funding, however, smaller institutions will also need to comply with this new legislation eventually.
The committee has appealed to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) for support and has engaged with national media that are interested in telling the tribe’s story. It was successful in getting the NMNH to revise its policy to include provisions to repatriate human remains and other items that were previously identified as “culturally unidentifiable.” The tribe has also joined with seven other Native American groups – called the Star Alliance – to get the University of Alabama’s Moundville collection of almost 5,900 remains and objects repatriated. Remember: most of this material is in storage at these museums and are not and will never be on display.
Unfortunately, Native Americans have had their ancestors disturbed, archaeological collections were split up and divided through many institutions. Today the search for missing ancestors’ remains, religious, and funerary objects continues. It’s not an easy process and it becomes daunting, especially with institutions with older collections that are not sure of the provenience or tribe of many of the artifacts on display and in storage.
About the speaker
Tina Osceola became director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) of the Seminole Tribe in August 2021. She is known for her passion on issues that are important to the Seminole Tribe – her work to have the remains and funerary objects of tribal ancestors returned – and the years she spent as one of Tribal Court’s original judges. In this new position Tina is responsible for all of the archaeological work done on all of the Seminole reservations. That includes excavations by the tribe and by Cultural Resource Management (CRM) organizations, and all reservation permitting. She has worked for many years with Paul Backhouse, a Registered Professional Archaeologist and Senior Director of the tribal Heritage and Environmental Resource Office (HERO). Osceola is a lifelong resident of the Naples community.
Source: SWFAS