Nearly 110,000 of these are human remains.
However, progress has been slow and privately funded museums and collections are not compelled in the same way.
The Founders Museum in Barre has long held the collection acquired by the 19th-century traveling salesman Frank Root.
He acquired Indigenous items to exhibit in a traveling road show.
The weapons, pipes, moccasins, and clothing Root collected eventually ended up in the Massachusetts museum.
These items are incredibly significant to Indigenous peoples, some of whom are descendants of survivors of Wounded Knee.
I think the museum will be remembered for being on the right side of history for returning these items.
Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal members recently traveled to Massachusetts to receive the 150 sacred items.
At a public ceremony, the items were symbolically returned.
They were physically turned over in private to their true caretakers.
And for us to bring back these artifacts, thats a step towards healing.
Thats a step in the right direction.
The items will be stored at Oglala Lakota College while their future is decided by tribal leaders.
After over a hundred years, at last, these items are returning to where they belong.
