Help Shape the Future of Voluntary Returns and Shared Stewardship
RESPONSES ARE REQUESTED BY SEPTEMBER 15, 2025, although the survey will stay open permanently so new voices may be added.
The voluntary return of cultural heritage is one of the most urgent and important issues facing Native communities and collecting institutions today. Far too many items of deep cultural, spiritual, and community significance remain separated from their rightful homes. Through voluntary returns and shared stewardship, we can repair historic harms, restore cultural continuity, and build respectful partnerships between Native Nations and collecting institutions.
Your input will directly inform the development of protocols, guidelines, and a practical toolkit to help facilitate voluntary returns and shared stewardship. Survey results will also shape discussions at ATALM’s Going Home Summit: Advancing the Return of Native Cultural Heritage (October 7, 2025, Cherokee, North Carolina).
The survey is in two parts. The first part is general questions and an opportunity to provide input on the Summit. The second part is tailored to specific audiences, i.e., tribal leaders, Native cultural organizations, non-Native collecting institutions, and funders. If you do not fall into one of the categories, you may exit the survey.
About the Survey:
- Confidentiality: All responses are confidential and used solely for research and advocacy purposes.
- Voluntary Participation: No question is required, and respondents may skip any question they do not wish to answer.
- Access to Results: At the end of the survey, there is an option to provide personal contact information to facilitate updates. This information will not be tied to any responses.
To ensure compliance with federal laws and respect the legal repatriation process, ATALM's work focuses on the voluntary return of cultural heritage materials that do not fall under the purview of NAGPRA. By focusing on voluntary returns outside of NAGPRA, ATALM supports the ethical return of culturally significant items without interfering with legal processes.
This work is funded by the Doris Duke Foundation.