cultural heritage

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Protecting the cultural and historic resources of tribes is an important issue of sovereignty facing all tribal communities. We work with Tribes and other institutions to aid in the development of tribal cultural resources and historic preservation strategic planning, as well as program development tailored to preserving, protecting and conserving tribal cultural and historic resources. Whether those resources are located on tribally controlled lands or off of those lands, tribes face unique challenges in managing the protection and preservation of important places, sites, landscapes and objects. Kenah Consulting provides expertise and support in numerous cultural heritage areas, including: Strategic Planning, NAGPRA Compliance and Consultation, Tribal Cultural Resource Management Planning, Tribal Museum Management, and Community Engagement. 

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Whether you are a tribal community or cultural/humanities organization working with tribes Kenah Consulting can assist in developing strategic plans tailored to the cultural heritage or cultural resource needs. Strategic Planning services include: 

  • Needs Assessment
  • Development of Mission Statement and Goals
  • Development of Strategic Plan 
  • Resources for Implementation  
  • Resources for Monitoring and Evaluation 

NATIVE AMERICAN GRAVES PROTECTION AND REPATRIATION ACT (NAGPRA) CONSULTATION

Enacted in 1990, The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) establishes the rights of lineal descendants, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian organizations to the repatriation of certain Native American cultural items and establishes the process institutions and federal agencies that receive federally funding must follow.  Kenah Consulting aids institutions with collections subject to NAGPRA to obtain compliance.  We also work with tribes to ensure that their cultural resources are handled appropriately. NAGPRA consultation includes:  

  • Grant Writing to fund Tribal Consultation and NAGPRA Implementation 
  • Training to familiarize institutional professionals with NAGPRA responsibilities 
  • Development of NAGPRA Policies and Procedures 
  • NAGPRA Policy and Procedure Implementation  
  • Guidance on Repatriation  
  • Development of Co-Curation Policy

TRIBAL CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLANNING

Cultural Resource Management is central to safeguarding tribal histories and landscapes. Kenah Consulting aids tribes in management and strategic planning to ensure the preservation of valued historic resources.  We collaborate with our clients to craft holistic and sustainable approaches to tribal preservation tailored to their communities. Cultural Resource Management services include:  

  • Cultural Resource Management Capacity Building 
  • Archaeological Preservation and Management 
  • Archival Preservation and Management
  • Architectural Preservation and Management 
  • Tribal Collection Preservation and Management 
  • Guidance on State and Federal Processes 
  • Implementation Resources 
  • Monitoring and Evaluation Resources  

TRIBAL MUSEUM MANAGEMENT

Tribal museums play important roles in protecting tribal heritage for future generations and communicating those histories to the public. Kenah Consulting is committed to aiding tribal museums in building and growing museum programs that engage the tribal community and the public.  We provide Tribal Museum Management consultation on:  

  • Grant Funding 
  • Economic Development 
  • Tribal Archival and Object Collections Assessment 
  • Tribal Collection Preservation and Management 
  • Staff Training 
  • Tribal Community Programs 
  • Outward-facing Educational Programs 
  • Resources for Implementation 

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Museums and cultural institutions survive and thrive on their engagement with the communities they serve.  This includes engagement with the native communities who see their cultures depicted within these institutions. Kenah Consulting works with tribes, museums, and other cultural institutions to ensure that these representations are reflective of the perspectives and historical realities of the communities represented.  Community Engagement Support consultation includes:  

  • Guidance on Tribal Community Engagement 
  • Development of Policies and Procedures for Tribal Community Engagement 
  • Development of Collaborative Exhibits and Museum Content 
  • Development of Collaborative Educational Resources 

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