South Korea used to be the world's largest source of babies for adoption. It's believed 200,000 children are part of the Korean adoptee diaspora, many of whom were sent away illegally and unethically. Those babies are now adults determined to trace their biological roots. Teresa Tang goes on an emotional journey with CNA's Lim Yun Suk.
Cannon Falls, MINNESOTA, written by Lisa Kaczke
The Northfield History Center voluntarily invited the Prairie Island Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) to review its collection and then took steps for the THPO to take immediate possession of the items. In a process that has been historically fraught with difficulties for tribes, the willingness of the Northfield History Center made it a positive experience and cemented a foundation for future collaborations between the two entities.
“Oftentimes, it’s a struggle to get some of these objects returned so whenever we have a volunteer and cooperating partner, it makes the process so much easier and in this instance, we found a true partnership that we are building upon with our friends over at Northfield History Center,” said Franky Jackson, Prairie Island’s tribal historic compliance officer.
The Northfield History Center announced Nov. 18 that its Board of Directors approved the deaccessioning of the items. The items are sacred Native American items that have significance to local Indigenous people, according to the announcement.
“These items have been in the Northfield History Center collection for many years, but they do not belong to the Northfield community. They belong to the people that lived in this area long before us, and that made and used these items,” Executive Director Sean Allen said in a statement. “Today we are proud to be able to repatriate these important pieces to their rightful owners and to build a lasting partnership with the Prairie Island Indian Community.”
It’s important to tribes to identify which institutions have their items and which people within the tribe can benefit from having the items returned, Jackson said.
“When it comes to our sacred items, this is part of how we heal our hoop. This is part of how we heal our communities, is by capturing and bringing home these sacred items that help us with our ceremonies,” Jackson said.
Repatriation is also related to the tribe’s cultural revitalization. It’s “crucially important” for Prairie Island’s artists to have access to the items to have a connection to their relatives’ handiwork, carry forward the artistry and pass it down to next generations, Jackson said.
“That’s a big part of what we’re doing with our Tribal Historic Preservation Office here. As we accession in items, it’s our goal to allow our community-based artists to have access to those items,” Jackson said.
The process for institutions to repatriate items to tribes is regulated by the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) of 1990,which requires institutions that receive federal funding to transfer Native American human remains and objects of cultural patrimony to lineal descendants and culturally affiliated tribes. Despite the law, thousands of Native American human remains and artifacts remained in museums.
A revision of NAGPRA went into effect in January that streamlines the repatriation process, gives tribes the power to define what is a sacred object and gives tribes more jurisdiction over the institutions’ use of human remains and objects. It also requires institutions to inventory all of their Native American artifacts within the next five years.
Under the revised law, an institution has 90 days to respond once a claim has been filed. Prior to the change in January, "institutions could drag their feet and take as long as they wanted. In some instances, it has taken us literally years to reconcile some items,” Jackson said.
An example of that is the noose that was known as the Mankato Hanging Rope in the Minnesota Historical Society’s collection. The noose was used in the hanging of Wicanhpi Wastedanpi (Good Little Stars) on Dec. 26, 1862 in Mankato as part of the largest mass execution in U.S. history. The Minnesota Historical Society returned the noose earlier this year after Prairie Island submitted a claim under the new NAGPRA rules. The repatriation of the noose this year came after Dakota tribes’ “11-year struggle” to have it returned, Jackson said.
“With some of the new legislation that took place with the law, that strengthens the tribal voice when it comes to certain things and it allows us to have this done in a way that’s timely for us,” Jackson said.
Often, Prairie Island learns of an object belonging to the tribe when a museum contacts the THPO or the object is put up for auction to the highest bidder. Both can be a “tumulteous” process for the tribe, Jackson said.
Museums who received the federal funding appropriated by Congress during the Covid-19 pandemic are now required to inventory their collections under the revised law. The Prairie Island THPO is seeing an influx of inquiries from institutions across the United States to review items in their collections that they believe belong to Prairie Island. Noah White, Prairie Island’s tribal historic preservation officer, estimates they’ve heard from 30-35 institutions since the beginning of the year.
“Nobody ever really reached out to us in the past. We’d always find out from a different source,” White said.
After Prairie Island’s struggles to reclaim items, they had “jubilation and excitement” when the Northfield History Center reached out and the THPO was able to easily bring the items home, Jackson said.
“They looked within their collection, identified some items that they knew were going to be controversial, some that may have fallen under the federal definition of that law, and they were proactive,” Jackson said.
The process with the Northfield History Center moved quickly.
“They rolled the doors open. They greeted us, they were very welcoming,” Jackson said.
After Allen and the Board of Directors reached out, the Prairie Island THPO visited the Northfield History Center to inventory its collection and identified several items that met the definition as a sacred object or object of cultural patrimony under NAGPRA, Jackson said.
Prairie Island had to formally file a NAGPRA claim on the items, but on the THPO’s second visit, the Northfield History Center established a temporary loan agreement to allow the THPO to take possession of the objects immediately.
“That is very rare. That doesn’t happen often,” Jackson said.
When a tribe reviews a museum’s collection and identifies items it wants returned, it can create a lot of “anxiety” and “angst” for the tribe, Jackson said.
“To have this institution introduce a loan agreement as part of the solution just demonstrated beyond measures that they had more than a passing interest to return these objects to the appropriate people,” Jackson said. “That really demonstrated that we have a trusted partner at the table that wanted to do the morally right thing.”
Most of the items that were returned by the Northfield History Center will be held by the tribe as objects of cultural patrimony, meaning that they belong to the broader tribe, Jackson said.
The items included two large ceremonial headdresses made of eagle feathers, handmade beads and other materials, according to the Northfield History Center. The headdresses are “exquisite,” Jackson said. The repatriation helps bring those items back into the Prairie Island community so they can view them and learn the story of the repatriation, he said.
Some of the objects are considered sacred and won’t have public access, he said.
There were several “wonderful and beautiful” sacred pipes in the collection, Jackson said. The provenance on some of the pipes was detailed and the THPO was able to identify the families to whom the pipes need to be returned.
“That’s a wonderful, wonderful experience for us to be able to work with this institution to be able to find that pathway home for some of these objects,” Jackson said.
Prairie Island is also working with several other museums in Minnesota on voluntary repatriation and to create repatriation policies. The cross-cultural exchange and collaboration with the Northfield History Center shows what’s possible. Prairie Island plans to collaborate with the history center on its exhibits and history center staff plans to visit Prairie Island to see their collection and buffalo herd, Jackson said.
“The partnership with Northfield is going to go much deeper,” he said.
The site of a former British Columbia residential school that had its own cemetery since the early 1920s is now the location of potential unmarked graves, says the chief of a Fraser Lake area First Nation.
Nadleh Whut'en First Nation Chief Beverly Ketlo said after almost two years of geophysical survey work, the nation believes it can confirm potential unmarked graves at the site of the former Lejac Indian Residential School, located about 160 kilometres west of Prince George.
The First Nation had always known children were buried at the church-run institution because many of their graves were marked in a cemetery that had been there since 1922, when the school opened, but the survey's findings suggest a number of unmarked graves, she said at a news conference Saturday.
"We have information today that shows that there are likely grave sites in the location of the Lejac school," said Ketlo. "We know there were more children there, we just didn't know where. How many, and this is a question I ask everybody I meet, how many of the schools you attended had graveyards in the backyard?"
The survey did not positively identify any unmarked graves, but indicated "23 markers" of potential burial locations, she said.
The geophysical survey work, using ground-penetrating radar and magnetometry, started in the winter of 2023 and focused on areas identified by survivors of the residential school, said Ketlo.
About 7,850 Indigenous children attended Lejac school, which was in operation from 1922 to 1976.
The Nadleh Whut'en First Nation said there were 38 documented deaths at the institution.
Ketlo said among the Lejac Indian Residential School's darkest chapters was the deaths of four boys in 1937.
SEATTLE, WA, UNITED STATES, December 1, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ --
“Adoptionland: From Orphans to Activists” Editors Now Accepting Submissions for a New Collection of Stories and Experiences Focusing on Adoption Loss from Birthparents.
The editors of the acclaimed anthology “Adoptionland: From Orphans to Activists,” are pleased to announce that they are now accepting submissions for their upcoming collection. This new volume will spotlight the often-overlooked voices of parents of adoption loss, also referred to as "birthparents" among industry stakeholders.
Since its publication in 2014, Janine and her twin, Jeanette, also known as the "Vance Twins," have been committed to providing a platform for adopted people (“adoptees”) and parents of adoption loss to share their stories and experiences. They established the Adoption Truth & Transparency Worldwide Information Network in 2011, a discussion forum on social media that now also monitors the adoption industry. Adoptionland, its first collection of adoption stories, has garnered international attention for its raw, honest, and impactful narratives.
"We believe that the stories of parents of loss are crucial to understanding the full picture of adoption," Janine Vance says. "This call for submissions seeks personal essays, stories, and reflections that delve into the emotional, psychological, and societal impacts of adoption loss from the perspective of those who have experienced it." The curator adds: "The benefits of reading 'Adoptionland' are significant for isolated adoptees, offering them a sense of community and validation. The narratives within the anthology provide a safe space for adoptees to relate to others' experiences, fostering a sense of belonging and understanding. Readers can gain insights into the complexities of adoption, recognize their emotions and struggles, and find solace in shared experiences. 'Adoptionland' is a vital resource for adoptees seeking to navigate their identities, heal from past traumas, and connect with a larger community of individuals who share similar journeys."
Submissions are open to all adoptees and parents of loss, regardless of their background or country of origin. The editors are particularly interested in stories that explore themes such as the emotional aftermath of relinquishment, the search for lost children, the impact of societal stigma, and the journey toward healing and reconciliation.
Selected contributors will have their work published in the new volume of “Adoptionland” and will receive a complimentary copy of the book upon its release. Additionally, they will be invited to participate in a series of virtual events and discussions centered on adoption and its aftermath.
“Adoptionland” is a series of stories published by Adoption Truth & Transparency Worldwide Information Network (AT TWIN), serving to amplify the voices of those most impacted by adoption. You may also contact Janine Vance privately if you've lost a child to adoption and are still searching. AT TWIN promotes community care and peer support through sharing personal narratives and critical essays.
Submission Guidelines:
• Word Count: Submissions should be between 1,000 to 3,000 words.
• Format: Manuscripts should be submitted as Word documents or PDFs.
•
Deadline: The submission deadline is March 1st, 2025. If you pass the
deadline, you are invited to share your experience privately to the same
email.
• How to Submit: Authors can submit their essay to the email
below with the subject line: "Adoptionland Submission – [Author Name]."
You may also email Janine Vance at her author website for commentary, media inquiries, or consultations on adoption issues. Visit Janine Vance for more information about the submission process or to learn more about Vance's private and personal perspective on adoption.
Administrator: Adoption Truth & Transparency Worldwide Information Network
admin@adoptiontruth.org
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As an adoptee, Trace contributed her story in the first anthology ADOPTIONLAND...
The Land Back movement reflects the global efforts of Indigenous people to reclaim ancestral territories and sovereignty over public lands. Through a combination of military force, broken treaties, and discriminatory policies, Native communities have been stripped of 99% of their historical land base in the U.S., reduced from nearly 2.3 billion acres to just 56 million acres today. Here are some ways this has been codified in state and federal policy: | |||
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Unlike what some might assume, the movement doesn't seek to displace current residents from their homes. Instead, it focuses on returning decision-making power to Indigenous communities and addressing the historical injustices of colonization that led to their dispossession. Here are four examples of what land back work looks like in action: | |||
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Indigenous communities’ approach to land stewardship goes beyond simple ownership, emphasizing a deep, complex relationship with the environment. As tribes reclaim more of their ancestral lands, they're leading innovative climate adaptation efforts and restoration projects, demonstrating how traditional Indigenous knowledge can help create a more sustainable future. | |||
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The latest on the Land Back movement, in which Native American tribes reclaim land. Two reporters take a look at where it’s worked and where it hasn’t at reservations in Minnesota. NPR > | |||
The Land Back movement is also about foodways. When Native peoples' land was stolen, they lost important hunting and fishing grounds and myriad places to gather and prepare food. Civil Eats > | |||
Tribal lands were stolen. What happens when those ancestral territories are returned? The Land Back movement is long-overdue justice. It’s also a climate solution. Vox > | |||
The Land Back Movement Unravels Manifest Destiny. Across Indian Country, tribal nations are buying back their land one parcel at a time. Sierra Club > | |||
On Vancouver Island, Land Back Looks Like Going Home. Indigenous-led land back efforts are underway on Canada’s Vancouver Island while the land’s original stewards protect forests from logging. Atmos > | |||
Land Rematriation: A Conversation with Cyndi Suarez, Donald Soctomah, Darren Ranco, Mali Obomsawin, Gabriela Alcalde, and Kate Dempsey. Kate Dempsey, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Maine, discuss the future of Tribal sovereignty, Land Back, and rematriation of the planet. NPQ > | |||
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This ascendancy and its accompanying tragedy were exposed in a report written in 1924 by Lakota activist Zitkala-Sa, a.k.a. Gertrude Simmon...
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