This deep antiquity is consistent with and supports the Indigenous communities’ understanding of their long presence in their homelands.

The repatriation frameworks established by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act apply to the Paisley material, and consultation with affiliated tribes has been part of the research process at the site.

The cultural affiliation of the Paisley remains is a matter that the relevant federal agencies and tribal nations have addressed through the required consultation process.

The researchers who have worked at Paisley have, in varying degrees, engaged with the Indigenous communities of the region as part of their research activities.

The University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History, which has been the primary institutional home for the Paisley research, has responsibilities under NAGPRA and under its own institutional values to engage respectfully with the descendant communities connected to the materials it holds.