Notice2025-23188
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD
Primary source
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Published
December 18, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Augustana University intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of cultural patrimony 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 241 (Thursday, December 18, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 241 (Thursday, December 18, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59170-59171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23188]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6735; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041495; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Augustana University, Sioux
Falls, SD
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Augustana University intends to repatriate
certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated
funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or objects of cultural patrimony
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 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Gina Palefsky, Archaeology Laboratory,
Augustana University, 2001 S Summit Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57105,
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7017191e115e00111c1516031b093011051719155e151405"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="690e000708471908050c0f1a021029081c0e000c470c0d1c">[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
Augustana University, 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 10 cultural items have been requested for repatriation:
three sacred objects and seven objects of cultural patrimony. The three
sacred objects are a pipe bowl, pipestem, and rattle. The pipe bowl is
t-shaped, made of catlinite (pipestone), and has six ``x'' shapes
faintly etched on one side of the pipe. The pipestem is wide, flat, and
wooden, with green painted sections and remnants of purple quillwork
and red and blue ribbon suspensions.
[[Page 59171]]
Documents attribute the pipestem to the Sioux, circa 1900. The rattle
is made of leather and has a wooden handle; documents estimate that it
was made circa 1880.
All three sacred objects described above were donated to Augustana
University's Center for Western Studies in the winter of 2012-2013 by
Abbot Denis Quinkert and Director Colleen Cordell of the American
Indian Culture Research Center at Blue Cloud Abbey, an American
Benedictine monastery near Marvin, Grant County, South Dakota. Through
consultation, these sacred objects were determined to be culturally
affiliated with the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota.
Augustana University does not have information indicating that these
sacred items were treated with or exposed to potentially hazardous
substances.
The seven objects of cultural patrimony are three hammer heads, a
pair of gloves, a spoon, a bowl, and a quirt. The three hammer heads
are made of catlinite (pipestone). None of the hammer heads have
handles; one has leather fringe with a red, white, and purple quill-
wrapped slat around the hammer head. The gloves are made of soft hide
with partially beaded gauntlets that have short leather fringe on the
edges. The beadwork is of a stylized floral design in red, light blue,
dark blue, and green. Documents attribute these gloves to the Santee
Sioux, circa 1900. The spoon is made of bison horn and has a bird
effigy handle. Documents attribute the spoon to the Eastern Sioux,
circa 1860-1870. The bowl is a slightly elongated wooden bowl with
carved handles. Documents attribute the bowl to the Eastern Sioux, with
an estimated date of pre-1850. The quirt is a sawtooth wood quirt with
brass tacks on both sides; a long strip of leather and a feather
fragment are attached, along with a floral beadwork wrist strap.
Documents attribute this quirt to the Sioux, circa 1880. All seven
objects of cultural patrimony described above were donated to Augustana
University's Center for Western Studies in the winter of 2012-2013 by
Abbot Denis Quinkert and Director Colleen Cordell of the American
Indian Culture Research Center at Blue Cloud Abbey, an American
Benedictine monastery near Marvin, Grant County, South Dakota. Through
consultation, these objects of cultural patrimony were determined to be
culturally affiliated with the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South
Dakota. Augustana University does not have information indicating that
these cultural items were treated with or exposed to potentially
hazardous substances.
Determinations
Augustana University has determined that:
<bullet> The three 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> The seven objects of cultural patrimony described in this
notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance
central to the Native American group, including any constituent sub-
group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial society, or other
subdivision), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of
an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Flandreau Santee 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 January 20, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, Augustana University 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. Augustana University 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: December 2, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23188 Filed 12-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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