Notice2025-14260

Notice of Intended Repatriation: Bruce Museum Greenwich, CT

Primary source

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Published
July 29, 2025

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentNational Park Service

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Bruce Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 143 (Tuesday, July 29, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 29, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35724-35725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-14260]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6341; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040596; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Bruce Museum Greenwich, CT

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Bruce Museum intends to repatriate 
certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects and 
that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after August 28, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural items in this notice to Kirsten J. Reinhardt, the Bruce 
Museum, One Museum Drive Greenwich, CT 06830, email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e9829b8c808781889b8d9da98b9b9c8a8c849c9a8c9c84c7869b8e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="771c05121e191f160513033715050214121a020412021a59180510">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
Bruce Museum, and additional information on the determinations in this 
notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the 
summary or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of two cultural items have been requested for repatriation. 
The two sacred objects are a Makau (77.14.14

[[Page 35725]]

Fishhook) and a P[omacr]haku Ku'i 'Ai (19117 Poi Pounder).

Makau Fishhook

    A compound fishhook made from mammal bones. In 1977, a collection 
of 19 objects, from a wide variety of tribal Nations, was donated by 
Frederic E. Ossorio (1919-2005). Some objects in the collection were 
reported as formerly part of the Harry Geoffrey Beasley (1881-1939) 
collection; Beasley was a British collector. It is unknown how Ossoriao 
came into possession of the objects. No potentially hazardous 
substances have been used to treat the objects.

P[omacr]haku Ku'i 'Ai Poi Pounder

    A pestle made of stone (p[omacr]haku) used to pound steamed taro 
(kalo) into poi, steamed ulu (breadfruit) into poi and to prepare other 
foods ('ai) through light pounding (ku'i). Mr. James B. Hatcher, 
b.1906, became editor of the Honolulu Star Bulletin in 1929 and later 
of the Hilo Tribune-Herald. He also wrote a tour book, ``Highlights of 
Hawaii.'' The pestle is described as having been collected at Kalapana, 
Hawaii in 1932. No potentially hazardous substances have been used to 
treat the pounder.

Determinations

    The Bruce Museum has determined that:
    <bullet> The two sacred objects described in this notice are 
specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional Native American 
religious leader for present-day adherents to practice traditional 
Native American religion, according to the Native American traditional 
knowledge of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
    <bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described 
in this notice and the Hui Iwi Kuamo'o.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified 
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be 
submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
    Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice to a requestor 
may occur on or after August 28, 2025. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the Bruce Museum must determine the most 
appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint 
repatriation of the cultural items are considered a single request and 
not competing requests. The Bruce Museums responsible for sending a 
copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice and to any other consulting 
parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

    Dated: July 9, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-14260 Filed 7-28-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on July 29, 2025.

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