Native American Tribes Protest Florida Developer's Handling of Ancient Artifacts

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Native American tribes in Florida are expressing strong discontent with Related Group, a development company, over its handling of a significant collection of historical artifacts discovered at a construction site in downtown Miami. The artifacts, believed to be remnants of a 3,000-year-old Tequesta Indian village, were unearthed as construction commenced on two residential towers along the Miami River.

Tribal representatives from the Miccosukee Tribe and the American Indian Movement of Florida claim that the company has excluded them from discussions regarding the future of over a million artifacts stored at Related’s office, including pottery, tools, and animal remains. They allege that Related has approached out-of-state universities about curating these relics without their consent, violating a prior agreement to present a local preservation plan to the city.

Betty Osceola, a member of the Miccosukee Tribe, criticized the company for ignoring the tribes' wishes to have the artifacts reburied instead of displayed. Robert Rosa from the American Indian Movement emphasized that the tribes have yet to see a promised inventory of the items, stating that their input has not been adequately considered.

Related Group’s representatives described their outreach to universities as preliminary and exploratory; they are expected to present a more detailed plan at a city preservation board meeting in March. Tribal leaders and local scholars have voiced concerns about the company’s lack of collaboration with indigenous communities and their intentions for proper stewardship of the artifacts.

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