NATHPO REMEMBERS THE LIFE OF LANCE FOSTER, THPO FOR THE IOWA TRIBE OF KANSAS AND NEBRASKA NATHPO and the community of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers are mourning the loss of one of our own, Lance Foster, THPO for the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, who passed away on Sunday, January 12, 2025. An archaeologist by training, Lance, whose Ioway name, Irogre, means “Finds What is Sought,” served as Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska’s THPO since 2013. Prior to that, he served in various capacities in the private sector and government. In addition to serving as a THPO, Lance was “a cherished Elder, mentor, and valued member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska,” serving as Vice Chair of his Tribe from 2019-2023, founded the Tribal museum, authored a book about the history of his people, and served as a NAGPRA Officer, working to secure the return of ancestors and their belongings to the Tribe to be at rest with their people. Lance’s work as THPO spanned 9 different states the Ioway have called home over the centuries far beyond the bounds of their reservation straddling the Kansas-Nebraska border. He was a fierce advocate for his Tribe and their ancestors, as well as the land, the water, and the animals occupying those same sacred homelands. Indeed, one of his more recent endeavors was his work in the Rights of Nature movement, where he and others, recognizing the inherent interconnectedness between people and nature, sought to secure legal rights and protections for nature, which cannot advocate on its own behalf. Well-regarded by his colleagues, Lance’s many achievements as a THPO are chronicled in this powerful tribute from the University of Iowa’s Office of the State Archaeologist. Those achievements included establishing Ioway Tribal National Park (Baxoje Mowotanani), ensuring the federal government treated the burial mounds at Effigy Mounds National Monument with care and respect, and securing the return of the Presbyterian Mission Boarding School, which now houses the THPO offices for the Tribe. Lance also devoted significant time and energy to educating members of his Tribe, especially young people, about their language and cultural practices, in order to preserve and perpetuate them for future generations. That dedication to young people and building up a new generation extended not only to members of his Tribal family, but to the community of THPOs, where Lance served not only as a member of NATHPO’s Board of Directors, but was a valued mentor, advocate, and friend. In addition to providing a powerful example of what it means to be a fierce warrior on behalf of one’s people, Lance helped other THPOs take up that sacred work and serve Tribal Nations, their ancestors, and their descendants to the best of their abilities. In 2022, Lance became the inaugural recipient of NATHPO’s Excellence in Tribal Historic Preservation Award. NATHPO extends our warmest condolences to Lance’s wife Lisa, his family, his colleagues, his Tribal community, and THPOs across the country who mourn this profound loss. To honor Lance, Stacy Laravie (Ponca), a former THPO and NATHPO’s Indigenization Director, wrote the following poem about her friend and mentor, whom she called “larger than life,” saying, “How do you describe and measure the sun, moon, and stars because he was all of them!" Our heroes don’t wear capes. They carry the people on their backs, Knowledge of the ancestors in their hearts, And the roots from their steps on the earth extend to the descendants. |