The Children's Museum

This Project, Consultation and Documentation for the New England Region of Boston Childrens Museums Nativeamerican Collection (CD Ne) (funding Opportunity P24AS00505), Will Allow Boston Childrens Museum (BCM), Incollaboration With Native American Partners, to Better Identify, Document, and, Ultimately, Prioritize Belongingsfor Repatriation.the Goals of This Project Are TO:1. Conduct Regular Consultation Sessions With New England Region Native American Community Members, Tribes, and NATIONS2. Identify All New England Region Belongings in Our Collection That Should Be Categorized as Sacred CEREMONIAL3. Create Complete Records for Approximately 25% of the New England Region Belongings in BCMS Collection(estimated to Be 250 BELONGINGS)4. Increase BCMS Connections Within the Local Native American Community and Broaden Understanding That Thecollection Is Available and Accessible to Native American Community MEMBERS5. Increase the Number of Belongings Approved for Repatriation During the Proposed 1.5 Year Grant Period (ascompared to the Past 1.5 Years)specifically, the Requested Nagpra Funds Will Allow BCM to Host Recurring Onsite Consultation Meetings,supporting Travel Costs and Stipends to Honor the Time and Contributions of Participating Native Americanindividuals. Drawing on BCMS Previous Model of Working With Native American Advisors, We Will Engage With a Widevariety of Individuals, Asking Them to Share Their Knowledge of Belongings We Currently Hold, and for Those Whoare Interested, Offering Opportunities for Longer-term, Multi-visit Engagements (advisor Roles).during Consultation Meetings, We Will Gather Descriptions of Belongings That Resonate With Individuals,documenting Their Stories, and Particularly Taking Note of Any Belongings That May Need to Be Reclassified Assacred Ceremonial. Information Gathered During These Consultation Meetings Will Be Logged in BCMS Collectionsdatabase. Belongings Identified as Sacred Ceremonial Will Be Immediately Flagged for Further Outreach (ifparticipating Individuals Are Not Tribal Historic Preservation Officers or Leaders Who Can Work Directly With Uson Repatriation) or Notices of Intent to Repatriate Will Be Created.the Immediate Beneficiaries of This Project Include Boston Childrens Museum Staff and Participating Communitypartners (native American Community Members and Leaders, Including the Tomaquag Museum). We Anticipate Specifictribe and Nation Beneficiaries to Include the Mashpee Wampanoag, Wampanoag of Aquinnah, Massachusett,narragansett, Mikmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Houlton Band of Maliseet, Mohegan, and Mashantucketpequot.we Anticipate a Project Start Date of August 1, 2024, With a Grant Period of 18 Months. the Main Projectdeliverable Will Be the Documentation of Descriptions for the New England Region Collection Belongings in Bcmspossession, Which Will Be Written From the Native American Perspective. Three Key Milestones of This Project (tobe Completed by the End of the Grant Period), Are (1) to Conduct a Minimum of Five Consultation Meetings (2) Toidentify 100% of the Sacred Ceremonial Belongings in the New England Region of Our Native American Collection and (3) to Fully Inventory Approximately 25% of the Belongings in the New England Region of Our Native Americancollection.cd Ne Would Support BCM in More Rapidly and Deeply Addressing the Important Consultation and Documentationprocesses We Have Been Working Hard to Conduct in Collaboration With Native American Neighbors Over the Course of the Last Year. Our Hope Is That This Project Will Support BCM in Repatriating Many More Belongings, and Alsoidentifying Some Native American Belongings That We Can Appropriately Share With Visitors in an Educationalcapacity, Alongside Descriptions and Voices of the Native American Individuals Who Want to Share Their Stories.