CALERA, Okla. (KTEN) — A brand new federal law goals to protect and protect Native American artifacts. 

The Safeguard Tribal Object of Patrimony Act was first launched in 2016.

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“We were approached by some attorneys and some tribal movements to get this passed, and asked if we would maybe provide comment to them,” Byrd mentioned.

Bryd believes The STOP Act is an enormous win for tribes.  

“Its passing is a huge step, mechanism for tribal nations to bring home their sacred items and prevent them from going overseas,” she mentioned.

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Bryd mentioned the Choctaw Nation by no means had difficulties with this particular difficulty. She credit a catalog with serving to to forestall the Choctaw Nation from falling sufferer to this.

“One of the ways that we have had some success in the past is building relationships with tribes abroad through our Choctaw Database Project,” Byrd mentioned. “In this we reach out to international institutions as well as domestic institutions and learn about what is in their collections.”

Byrd believes this opens different pathways of collaboration and dialogue between tribes and the federal government.

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