Repatriation of Ahayu:da: 20 years later

In April 1990, just six months before the passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), I conducted an interview with the Zuni Tribal Council about their experiences repatriating the Ahayu:da Zuni War Gods. When NAGPRA was placed into law, the War Gods became an exemplar of cultural patrimony. In this brief invited commentary, I reflect on the interview, the significance of the War Gods in NAGPRA, and the shifts in repatriation practices in the context of NAGPRA's 20th anniversary. I conclude by suggesting that tribes and museums have both benefitted from repatriation and expressing a hope that the new ethic of cooperation and collaboration between Indians and museum scholars that has emerged in NAGPRA's wake continues long into the future.