About the Tribal Historic Preservation Office

The Tribal Historic Preservation Office operates per the authority of the Tribal Council, as advised by the Advisory Review Board and as further stipulated by our THPO Memorandum of Understanding with the National Park Service. In 2018, the Tribe applied and was approved by the National Park Service to operate the THPO responsibility on Tribal Lands. Previously, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) operated these functions. Taking on these responsibilities is an active expression of MBPI’s sovereignty to oversee and protect their lands, culture and history.

The essential functions of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office include:

1. Conducting a comprehensive survey of MBPI Tribal Lands

2. Maintaining inventory of Cultural Resources

3. Developing a Historic Preservation Plan

4. Preparing and maintaining MBPI’s Register of Historic Places/Cultural Sites

5. Assisting, reviewing and making recommendations for historic property/traditional cultural property nominations to the state, federal and MBPI Registers of Historic Places

6. Advising and assisting all Tribal, Federal, State and local agencies working on MBPI Tribal Lands to comply with all cultural resource laws (including NHPA, NAGPRA, ARPA and NEPA)

7. Providing community outreach, education and training about Tribal historic preservation

8. Providing oversight and/or assistance for NAGPRA related activities and projects

9. Cataloguing and maintaining an inventory of Tribal records and archives

10. Providing oversight of the preservation and storage of MBPI collections

11. Facilitating the THPO Advisory Review Board

Tribal Historic Preservation Staff

Lakota Pochedley, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer

Contact the Tribal Historic Preservation Office

PHONE: 269.397.1780