Career
She was one of the primary catalysts for the creation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Acting (NAGPRA). Her actions led to her being called "the Founding Mother of the modern Indian repatriation movement" and "the Rosa Parks of NAGPRA". In the early 1970s she was appalled that the skeletal remains of Native Americans were treated differently from white remains.
Her husband, an engineer with the Iowa Department of Transportation, told her that both Native American and white remains were uncovered during road construction in Glenwood, Iowa.
Pearson protested to Government. Robert Doctorate. Ray, finally gaining an audience with him after sitting outside his office in traditional attire.
"You can give me back my people"s bones and you can quit digging them up" she responded when the governor asked what he could do for her. The ensuing controversy led to the passage of the Iowa Burials Protection Acting of 1976, the first legislative act in the United States. that specifically protected Native American remains.
Emboldened by her success, Pearson went on to lobby national leaders, and was one of the catalysts for the creation of NAGPRA. Pearson was featured in the 1995 British Broadcasting Corporation documentary Bones of Contention.
Born in Springfield, South Dakota as Darlene Elvira Drappeaux, she was given the Yankton name Hai-Mecha Eunka, which means "Running Moccasins". Maria was born on July 12, 1932. Pearson died in Ames, Iowa.
