Policy on Native American and Indigenous Peoples Holdings and Artifacts

Policy on Native American Holdings

The Academy voluntarily recognizes Native American Tribes’ and Indigenous peoples’ rights to exercise agency over their beliefs, belongings and ancestors.

Phillips Exeter Academy is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful community, in keeping with our mission and core values. As a private high school located in New Hampshire, the school acknowledges that its campus is situated on the ancestral lands of the Wabanaki, Wampanoag, Pennacook and Abenaki people. We recognize the inherent rights of Native American Tribes and Indigenous Communities to their cultural items and ancestors. We are committed to working with Tribes and Communities who may have an interest in facilitating the respectful repatriation of the ancestral remains and cultural items housed at Phillips Exeter Academy.

Since 1990, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act has provided for the protection and return of Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony. By enacting NAGPRA, Congress recognized that human remains of any ancestry “must at all times be treated with dignity and respect.”

PEA is not a recipient of federal funds and, therefore, is not required to comply with NAGPRA, however, the school voluntarily adopts the principles of the Act in recognition of Native American Tribes’ and Indigenous peoples’ rights to exercise agency over their beliefs, belongings and ancestors. PEA is dedicated to advancing repatriation and reconciliation, and with this in mind, has adopted and committed to a Policy for the Respectful Curation and Repatriation of Native American Cultural Items. This policy emphasizes and values traditional cultural knowledge in how ancestors and cultural items are cared for and returned and is a commitment to ethical stewardship and collaborative relationships with Native American Tribes and Indigenous Communities.

Read the Academy’s full policy and procedures toward repatriation

Repatriation Point of Contact

We look forward to hearing from representatives of Tribal communities. To answer questions, to schedule visits to view collections, receive guidance on care and storage of collections, or begin the consultation process, please contact Dr. Troy Samuels, instructor in the History Department and Anthropology Museum Project liaison, at repatriation@exeter.edu.