Notice2025-23049
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver, CO
Primary source
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Published
December 17, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (DMNS) 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 240 (Wednesday, December 17, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58590-58591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23049]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6706; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041435; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Denver Museum of Nature and
Science, Denver, 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 Denver Museum of Nature and Science
(DMNS) 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 January 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Michele Koons, Denver Museum of Nature
& Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80205, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7e33171d161b121b50351111100d3e1a13100d50110c19"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="44092d272c2128216a0f2b2b2a370420292a376a2b3623">[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
Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 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 eight cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. The eight scared objects are one medicine bundle with
herbs, one medicine tube, two medicine roots, and four prayer reeds.
The eight sacred objects are: AC. 8234, a medicine bundle, collected by
Howard B. Roloff in 1965 from an unknown medicine man at Brighton
Reservation. The bundle is made of wool and cloth. The medicine bundle
contains seven different herbs used in the ``Black Drought''[sic] for
purification rites in the Green Corn Dance. The same packet of herbs is
usually used twice or even four times, and only at the time of the
Green Corn Dance. AC.8235, a medicine tube, collected by Howard B.
Roloff in 1965 from Ada Tommie at the Hollywood Reservation, Florida.
The medicine tube is made of reeds. The bundle was donated to DMNS by
Mary Crane on 27 May 1983. AC.8236, medicinal root, collected by Howard
B. Roloff in 1965 from the Seminole in Florida. The root was donated to
DMNS by Mary Crane on 27 May 1983. The root was used to treat wounds
and carbuncles by an unknow medicine man from Immokalee, Florida.
AC.8237, medicinal roots, collected by Howard B. Roloff in 1965 from a
medicine woman, Ada Tommie, from the Hollywood Reservation. The roots
are tied with blue cloth and are used to treat high blood pressure. The
same roots are also found in medicine bundles. The roots were donated
to DMNS by Mary Crane on 27 May 1983. AC.8396A-D, four prayer reeds,
collected by Howard B. Roloff from Josie Billie in 1966. Bamboo reeds
bored out and tied with red cloth in three places made by Josie Billie,
the biggest medicine man at Big Cypress. AC. 8234, AC.8235. AC.8236,
AC. 8237, and AC.8396A-D were formerly in the ``Seminole Section'' of
DMNS North American Indigenous Cultures Hall, which has been closed to
the public since June 2023.
Determinations
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has determined that:
<bullet> The eight 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 reasonable connection between the cultural
items described in this notice and the Seminole Tribe of Florida and
The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.
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 January 16, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Denver Museum of Nature and
[[Page 58591]]
Science 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 Denver
Museum of Nature and Science 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: November 24, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23049 Filed 12-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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