Native American Tribes Accuse Development Firm of Excluding Them in Artifact Discussions

Native American tribes in Florida have accused a development company of excluding them from discussions regarding the future of a trove of historical artifacts uncovered at a downtown Miami construction site. The tribes claim that the Related Group is exploring options to curate and house these relics without their consent or knowledge.

Representatives from the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the American Indian Movement of Florida expressed their anger over the company's engagement with several out-of-state universities interested in these artifacts, believed to originate from an ancient Tequesta Indian village.

The trove comprises more than a million fragmentary items, which experts suggest date back between 2,000 and 7,000 years and are currently stored at Related's offices in Brickell, Miami. These artifacts were discovered during archaeological digs since 2021.

The site is located close to the Miami Circle national historic landmark, which was unveiled in 1998 and is referred to as the city's Stonehenge. This area has yielded various artefacts, including pottery, tools, and animal remains.

While some human ancestral remains were reburied off-site after discussions with local tribal leaders, the tribes feel that their input has been largely ignored. They assert that Related breached an agreement made with the city of Miami in 2023, which required the company to present a conservation plan for the collection, in return for proceeding with its development projects.

Tribes are disillusioned by the exploration of relocating the artifacts to far-off educational institutions, like the University of California, Berkeley. This occurred concurrently with Related missing two deadlines to deliver on past promises to the city regarding the protection of the artefacts.

Betty Osceola, a Miccosukee tribe member and environmental activist, remarked, "They won't listen to the tribes, to the descendants, that we want the artifacts reburied, not displayed or taken to universities." She noted that the company’s perspective appears to be more archaeological rather than respecting the tribal viewpoints.

Osceola expressed disappointment at how Related downplayed the archaeological finds until the recent 2023 agreement, despite the area's significance being clearly linked to the protected Miami Circle site.

Robert Rosa, chair of the American Indian Movement of Florida, stated that both the Miccosukee and Seminole tribes are awaiting a promised inventory of items in Related's possession. "They promised both tribes that we would see every artefact to determine what should be preserved or reinterred, but this has not happened," he added.

Related has not commented on the allegations. However, at a recent Miami preservation board meeting, the company's land-use lawyer categorised their outreach to external institutions as "exploratory." She indicated that they were seeking proposals to identify opportunities regarding the artefacts.

The company aims to reveal a detailed plan at the next board meeting on 4 March, including suggestions for exhibition spaces along Brickell's waterfront and connecting their site to the Miami Circle via an educational pathway named the Tequesta Trail.

Meanwhile, both the University of Miami and Florida International University await feedback on their joint proposal for a conservation and research centre in the city. Professor Traci Ardren from UM stated, "The action plan is crucial for public access to the history of the Tequesta, the largest indigenous pre-contact settlement in South Florida." She concluded that the company’s efforts to curate the artefacts externally reflects a serious lack of engagement with local scholars, museum curators, and indigenous communities.