LR128 LR128 2021 2021

ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH LEGISLATURE

FIRST SESSION LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION 128

IntroducedAguilar,Albrecht,Arch,Brandt, 43;byBrewer, 14;35; 17; 32; Briese,Clements,DeBoer,Dorn,Geist, 41; 30; 10; 2;25; Gragert,Hilkemann,Hunt,Kolterman,Lathrop, 8;40; 4; 12; 24; McCollister,PansingWalz,Wayne, 15;Brooks, 13; 20; 28; Wishart,Hansen,Pahls,Sanders,Blood, 27;M.,31; 3. 45;26; WHEREAS,ChiefStandingBear of the Ponca Tribeis a significant historicalandcivil rightsfigure from Nebraska's Niobrara RiverValley region; and

WHEREAS,theUnitedStates federalgovernmentremoved the PoncaTribe to

Indian Territory in 1877; and

WHEREAS,ChiefStandingBear'sepic return to his Nebraskahomeland to buryhisson culminated inthe historic courtcase,United States ex rel.

Standing Bear v. Crook, which took place in Omaha, Nebraska, in May 1879; and

WHEREAS,thecourtcase setthe historic precedent thatChiefStanding

Bear,asa NativeAmerican individual,wasfoundto be a person underthelaw; and

WHEREAS,nearlyallphotographic and other representationsof Chief

Standing Bear portray him with his inherited ceremonial tomahawk; and

WHEREAS,ChiefStandingBear'sfinancialindigency shouldhave resulted in court-appointedcounsel,butinstead ledhim to offer compensationto his attorney John L. Webster in the form of his tomahawk; and

WHEREAS,thetomahawkwas latergiven tothe Peabody Museum ofArchaeology andEthnologyat Harvard University,despitethefactthat this institution did nothavea relationshipwith eitherChiefStanding Bearorwith the eventsthat transpired in his life; and

WHEREAS,thistomahawkis an item ofpatrimony andisa prominentand recognizableculturalartifactofgreat significancetothe Ponca and toNative

Americans; and

WHEREAS,thePeabody Museumhas recently apologized forits historic

-1- LR128 LR128 2021 2021 practices of collecting and maintaining possession of Native American cultural objects and has declared its new commitment to changing these practices in the future.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE ONE HUNDRED SEVENTH

LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA, FIRST SESSION:

1. That the Legislature encourages the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and

Ethnology at Harvard University to fulfill its commitment to repatriation of

Native American objects.

2. That the Legislature encourages the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and

Ethnology at Harvard University to respect the wishes of and requests from the

Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and descendants of Chief Standing Bear for repatriation of Chief Standing Bear's tomahawk to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska.

3. That copies of this resolution be sent to the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University, and the

Commission on Indian Affairs.

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