UTSA among several Texas universities in possession of Native American remains

By Mason Hickok Editor-in-Chief

Despite a 1990 federal law from the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), several Texas universities, including UTSA, have the remains and cultural items of Native American tribes.

According to a report from Axios, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at UTSA holds 297 remains, the fourth-largest collection of unrepatriated remains in Texas. Of the entirety of the collection, 294 remains have not been made available for return, while three have, according to data from ProPublica.

In a statement to The Paisano, UTSA’s Chief Communication Officer Joe Izbrand commented on the steps CAR is taking to comply with federal law.

“The remains and objects that are in the care of UTSA were recovered decades ago from archaeological excavations by the university or donated to the university from other institutions and private entities,” Izbrand said. “They are preserved with dignity and stored in a secure facility. It is our intention to repatriate all of the remains and objects to the rightful parties, and we are working methodically to facilitate their return, enabled in part by a grant from the National Park Service. This is a complex procedure, established