What items are on this site?
All of the Native American cultural items that are under the control of the City of St. Ignace and the Michilimackinac Historical Society are included.
What is the purpose of this website?
This website aims to facilitate compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) by providing access to information and creating a forum for remote consultation.
Why was I selected as a community representative?
You have been identified as an official NAGPRA representative of your Tribe. If additional representatives also require access, please contact us.
Who has access to this website?
This website is password-protected and not open to the general public. Website accounts will only be established for tribal representatives identified by their respective government to engage in NAGPRA consultations with the City of St. Ignace.
A very limited number of City staff, Michilimackinac Historical Society (MHS) staff, and consultants also have access to assist Tribal representatives in navigating the website and answer questions.
Additionally, steps have been taken to keep images private and non-sharable.
May I share this website and my account information with other community members or subject matter experts?
Yes. While the City of St. Ignace will be happy to establish as many individual website accounts as a Tribe requests, we trust that Tribal communities will responsibly provide additional individuals with website access. The City of St. Ignace believes that Tribal communities will know how to best use discretion on whether to share their website account information with additional individuals. Again, the City of St. Ignace will be happy to establish as many individual website accounts as a Tribe requests.
Does this site or any of its uses have a charge?
No. Viewing and communication through this website are completely free of charge.
I see an item that I would like to learn more/have questions about. What should I do?
If you have questions about an item, would like more information, or would like more detailed images, please post a comment/question on the item’s web page, and we will respond. You may also make arrangements through the website to examine an item/collection in person or schedule a consultation.
Will the City of St. Ignace protect the privacy of me, my constituents, and our consultation communications?
Yes and no. The website provides all users the ability to post comments and questions about individual items. Only City staff, MHS staff, and consultants specifically assigned to this project can read your online comments and communicate with you. The communications sent from your account are available only to those who have your account log-in information. Having said that, the City of St. Ignace is a governmental entity and is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). If the City receives a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act, the request would be forwarded to the City Clerk for processing and determine which records are exempt from dissemination.
May I request repatriation through this website?
No. This website was created to facilitate the sharing of information and communication. We hope the information provided here will assist in preparing formal claims as per 43 CFR 10.10. If you have questions about the NAGPRA process, please contact Bernstein & Associates NAGPRA Consultants at jan@NAGPRA.info or (303) 894-0648.
Why hasn’t someone answered my questions or addressed my concerns?
There is only one MHS staff member dedicated to this project, and numerous Tribal communities are working through the NAGPRA process at any given time. Each time you submit a comment or question about a particular item, the website automatically notifies the MHS staffer by email. The staffer will do her best to notify you of receipt of your comment or question. But the complexity of the question, how many questions were received before yours, and the time needed to find an answer all influence our response time.
Again, please don’t hesitate to contact MHS Curator/Collections Manager Erin Vanier at
evanier.mhs@gmail.com or (906) 643-6627 if you need immediate assistance.
If you have questions or concerns about NAGPRA, please contact Bernstein & Associates NAGPRA Consultants at jan@NAGPRA.info or (303) 894-0648.