Notice2025-15977
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum, Ignacio, CO
Primary source
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Published
August 21, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum (SUCCM) 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 160 (Thursday, August 21, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 160 (Thursday, August 21, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40856-40857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-15977]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6446; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040856; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Southern Ute Cultural Center and
Museum, Ignacio, CO
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 Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum
(SUCCM) 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 September 22, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Tallias Cantsee, Southern Ute Cultural
Center and Museum, 398 Ouray Drive (737), Ignacio, CO 81137, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5a2e393b342e293f3f1a29352f2e323f28342f2e3f77663b7a32283f3c67" http: nsn.gov">nsn.gov</a>">tcantsee@southernute-<a href="http://nsn.gov">nsn.gov</a></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
Southern Ute Cultural Center and 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 four cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. The four sacred objects are three full pipestone stemmed
hand carved Pipestone pipes and one lead banded pipestone pipe bowl
that were donated to SUCCM in 2023.
These items were donated to SUCCM as a preservation effort by the
donor to return a Pan-Native American collection that was being held in
a basement and actively deteriorating due to uncontrolled environmental
conditions. The donating party historically traded with Tribes in the
early 1900's. While there was little to no provenience that accompanied
the pipes, SUCCM researched pipes in the historical photographic record
of similar institutions. According to the preponderance of evidence the
Tribe that was creating and being photographed with full pipestone
stemmed pipes, historically are the Lakota. The full pipestone stemmed
pipes being a Lakota product was also confirmed with the Yankton Sioux
Tribe THPO. The Yankton Sioux Tribe has also acknowledged that they are
the Lakota Tribe for deferral in all pipe matters.
Determinations
The Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The four 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 Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota.
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 September 22, 2025. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum
must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation.
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural items are
[[Page 40857]]
considered a single request and not competing requests. The Southern
Ute Cultural Center and Museum is 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: August 6, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-15977 Filed 8-20-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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