Notice2025-22890
Notice of Inventory Completion: Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Primary source
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Published
December 16, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Peabody Essex Museum has completed an inventory of associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58268-58269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22890]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6615; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041346; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA
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 Peabody Essex Museum has completed an
inventory of associated funerary objects and has determined that there
is a cultural affiliation between the associated funerary objects and
Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice
may occur on or after January 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the associated
funerary objects in this notice to Kelly Ferguson, NAGPRA Project
Manager, Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01970, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#472c222b2b3e1821223520323428290737222a69283520"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="caa1afa6a6b395acafb8adbfb9a5a48abaafa7e4a5b8ad">[email 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
Peabody Essex Museum, and additional information on the determinations
in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in
its inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
The three associated funerary objects are fragments of dark brown,
patterned burial kapa. Two fragments have a pattern of small triangles
and one fragment is patterned with thin stripes.
Prior to 1938, Marcia Brown Bishop collected the kapa fragments in
Hawai[revaps]i. Her catalog indicates they came from a burial cave. In
1938, she deposited the fragments at the Peabody Museum of Salem for an
exhibition. In 1966, the museum purchased the items as part of the
Marcia Brown [Richards] Bishop Collection. Consultation with
representatives of Hui Iwi Kuamo[revaps]o indicates these items were
used as burial kapa and were likely from Kanupa Cave, based on
similarity to other pieces from this site.
The museum has no record of any potentially hazardous substances
used to treat any of the human remains or associated funerary objects.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available
about the associated funerary objects described in this notice.
Determinations
The Peabody Essex Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The three objects described in this notice are reasonably
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite
or ceremony.
<bullet> There is a connection between the associated funerary
objects described in this notice and the Hui Iwi Kuamo'o.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the associated funerary
objects in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative
identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation
may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a
preponderance of the evidence, that
[[Page 58269]]
the requestor is a lineal descendant or an Indian Tribe or Native
Hawaiian organization with cultural affiliation.
Repatriation of the associated funerary objects described in this
notice to a requestor may occur on or after January 15, 2026. If
competing requests for repatriation are received, the Peabody Essex
Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the associated
funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing
requests. The Peabody Essex Museum is responsible for sending a copy of
this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations
identified in this notice and any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.
Dated: November 17, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-22890 Filed 12-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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