The Department of Interior wants to hear from tribal leaders and Native artists regarding proposed changes to how the is implemented.
That law bars the fraudulent presentation of arts and crafts as being Indigenous-produced or the product of a tribal nation.
Starting this month and going through August, the Interior Department is holding a series of listening sessions and direct consultations with tribes regarding changes in the law鈥檚 regulations. They include a possible expansion of what constitutes an "Indian Product" under the law, as well as allowing non-Native labor to be used in the making of such products.
A top department official said in a that the agency hopes the updates further guarantee that Native people are fairly compensated for their labor and that Indigenous arts and crafts are authentic.
鈥淎rts and crafts are important to Native communities, both culturally and economically,鈥� Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland said. 鈥淯pdating these regulations to include modern forms of art and craft work will support Indigenous artisans and craftspeople.鈥�
The next listening session will be held on Thursday, April 27, in Albuquerque, N.M. Information on all sessions and the proposed changes can be found .
Among the questions to be discussed at the listening sessions are whether the proposed expansion of items that qualify as "Indian Products" encompasses the full range of work done by Native artists and whether the law should apply to Native Hawaiian Organizations.
This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado, KUNM in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau is provided in part by the .
Copyright 2023 Boise State Public Radio 暗黑爆料. To see more, visit .