Patricia Marroquin Norby, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's inaugural full-time associate curator of Native American art, quietly left her position in December. Her departure followed independent investigations, including a 2024 report from the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds, which challenged her claims of Native American ancestry. Both Norby and the museum cited health concerns as the reason for her exit.
The situation highlights the complex and sensitive issues surrounding Indigenous identity, representation, and institutional accountability in major museums. Norby's hiring was a landmark moment for the Met, intended to build relationships with Indigenous communities, making her departure under these circumstances a significant setback. It raises critical questions about how cultural institutions vet and support Indigenous hires and how tribal belonging is defined and verified within a collective framework versus individual claims.