University of Kansas curators and museum staff will open up a dialogue about where Indigenous art at the Spencer Museum of Art came from.
Their conversation, “NAGPRA and Native Art,” is part of public programming that correlates with KU’s repatriation of Native American ancestors’ remains and cultural and sacred items.
Curators Sydney Pursel and Ryan Clasby along with Spencer Collection Manager Angela Watts will discuss the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the Indigenous art collection at the Spencer.
KU is in the process of returning items in its collections to their identified tribal nations through NAGPRA.
So far, a notice to repatriate a Pascola Mask, used by the Yaqui people during Holy Week celebrations, was submitted to the Federal Register. The mask was part of a collection that was located in the Spencer, according to the notice. Other items that were in the KU Biodiversity Institute, which coincides with the Natural History Museum, have been repatriated as well.
“NAGPRA and Native Art” is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3 at the Spencer Museum of Art, 1301 Mississippi St. on KU’s campus. It’s free to attend.
The Spencer is also hosting an exhibition, “Native Fashion,” that’s currently open on the first floor. It showcases traditional garments and regalia, streetwear, accessories, haute couture, photography and contemporary art created by local designers.
There will be a Q&A following Thursday’s talk, and attendees are encouraged to explore “Native Fashion” before the museum closes at 8 p.m.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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