here - Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan

~ ZIIBIWING CENTER.. ,..,...., ~A~~ ~ l-+w#WJ4FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- October 5, 2012CONTACT- Frank Cloutier, Public Relations Director(989) 775-4076 fdoutier@sagchip.orgContact:Shannon Martin, Director• smartin@sagchip.orgWilliam Johnson, Curator • wiohnson@sagchip.orgZiibiwingCenter of Anishinabe Culture&Lifeways6650 E. Broadway • Mt. Pleasant, Ml 48858Phone 989.775.4750• Fax 989.775.4770WWN.sagchip.orq/ziibiwinqThe Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan to Repatriate Ancestral Human RemainsFrom the Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and University of MichiganMt. Pleasant, Michigan- During the week of October 7-12, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michiganand its Ziibiwing Cultural Society (Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways) will repatriate theancestral human remains of one individual from the Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology, PhillipsAcademy in Andover, Mass. and the ancestral human remains of a minimum number of 120 individuals andassociated funerary objects from the University of Michigan's Museum of Anthropology in Ann Arbor, Mich. TheZiibiwing Cultural Society has been working diligently on behalf of the Saginaw Chippewa and MichiganAnishinaabek Cultural Preservation and Repatriation Alliance to bring home ancestors and their associatedfunerary objects from the numerous museums, universities and institutions across the country since thepassage of the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).On October 7, 2012, a small delegation from the Saginaw Chippewa will depart the Isabella IndianReservation, Mt. Pleasant, Mich. by van for Andover, Mass. to retrieve the physical human remains of oneancestor. On an unknown date prior to 1901, fragmentary human remains were removed from an unknownlocation in Bellevue, Mich. The human remains were donated to the Robert S. Peabody Museum ofArchaeology, Phillips Academy in 1901 . The Robert S. Peabody Museum of Archaeology, Phillips Academyposted a Notice of Inventory Completion in the Federal Register on August 14, 2012 .On October 9-11 , the Saginaw Chippewa delegation will join with Great Lakes spiritual leaders andrepresentatives from other Ojibwe, Ottawa and Pottawatomi Tribes in Ann Arbor, Mich. to complete thedisposition process for the ancestors from the University of Michigan (U-M). Under NAGPRA regulation 43CFR 10.11 (c) (ii) the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan is the Authorized Transfer Recipient for thedisposition of the Fisher Site Collection. The Fisher Site excavation took place on private land near PleasantLake in Lapeer, Michigan in 1973. The planned repatriation and reburial will be executed in collaboration withthe 11 other Federally-recognized tribes, the 2 State historic Tribes from Michigan and the Chippewa CreeTribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation of Montana. The U-M's Museum of Anthropology posted a Notice ofInventory Completion and Notice of Intended Disposition in the Federal Register on December 23, 2011.

The official signing of the Transfer of Control documents between the university and Saginaw Chippewa IndianTribe of Michigan will take place on October 11 at 3pm at the U-M Kipke Campus Safety Building, ConferenceRm. #2029, Ann Arbor, Mich.Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis announced onAugust 2 that the National Park Service awarded $1,663,382 in grants to assist Native American tribes, AlaskaNative villages and museums with implementation of the Native American Graves Protection and RepatriationAct (NAGPRA), which assists in the return of human remains and cultural objects to their native people. TheSaginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan was one of the grant recipients. The award of $13,593 will providethe necessary funds for the Tribe to carry-out all activities associated with the Peabody Museum and Universityof Michigan repatriations.The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan invites the public to join with them to increase understandingand awareness regarding ancestral issues and implications. A screening of the film Stolen Spirits of HaidaGwaii, followed by a discussion, will be held on the University of Michigan's campus on October 9 at 6:30pmin the Palmer Commons' Forum Hall, Ann Arbor, Mich.The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan also invites the interested public to join them for theRecommitment to the Earth Ceremony to be held on October 12 at 12pm at the Tribe's Nibokaan AncestralCemetery. The cemetery was established in 1995 for the explicit purpose of reburying repatriated NativeAmerican ancestral remains and associated funerary objects. The Nibokaan Cemetery is located on theSaginaw Chippewa's Isabella Indian Reservation, behind the Tribal Campground located at 7525 E. TomahRd., Mt. Pleasant, Mich. A Journey Feast will conclude the ancestral ceremonies and protocols to be held at 4pm on October 12 at the Elijah Elk Cultural Center Ceremonial Building, 7957 E. Remus Rd., Mt. Pleasant,Mich.The Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways in Mount Pleasant, Mich. is the Midwest's PremierAmerican Indian Museum. Established in 2004, the Ziibii,4Jing Center is a distinctive treasure created to providean enriched, diversified and culturally relevant educational experience through its award-winning DibaJimooyung (Telling Our Story) permanent exhibit, changing exhibits, research center, Ojibwe languageimmersion room, gift shop and meeting rooms. The Ziibiwing Center is a non-profit cultural center and museumbelonging to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan who also own Michigan's only four diamond casinoresort, the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, and the Saganing Eagles Landing Casino located in Standish, Mich.####