Notice2025-23366
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of California, Davis, Davis, CA
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 19, 2025
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of 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 242 (Friday, December 19, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 242 (Friday, December 19, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 59542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23366]
[[Page 59542]]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6788; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041557; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of California, Davis,
Davis, CA
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 University of California, Davis (UC
Davis) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the
definition of 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 Megon Noble, NAGPRA Project Manager,
University of California, Davis, 251 Mrak Hall, One Shields Avenue,
Davis, CA 95616, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#335e5d5c515f567346505752455a401d565746"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ed8083828f8188ad988e898c9b849ec3888998">[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 UC
Davis, 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 five cultural items or lots have been requested for
repatriation. The objects of cultural patrimony are three baskets, one
lot of 13 pieces of dentalium shell money, and one chert flake tool.
The University is unaware of any specific treatment of the individual
objects of cultural patrimony with pesticides, preservatives, or other
substances that represent a potential hazard to the objects or to
persons handling the objects. However, records located in the
Department of Anthropology Museum indicate that approximately \1/3\ of
the Merriam collection had been treated with Berlou, a dry mothproofing
substance used as an insecticide, in 1964. It is unknown which baskets
were treated.
Two of the objects of cultural patrimony, CHM 705 and 706, were
purchased in Bucksport in Humboldt Bay, California on September 13,
1910. These two baskets were most likely made by Mrs. Jerry James
(Wiyot). CHM 1501 includes 13 pieces of dentalium shell money pieces
purchased on September 14, 1910, from a Humboldt Bay Soo-lah'-te-luk
(Wiyot) woman who was also possibly Mrs. Jerry James. CHM 707 is a
mortar basket that Merriam purchased in October 1921 in Humboldt Bay
from an unknown Soo-lah'-te-luk (Wiyot) woman. UCDA-1106 is a chert
flake tool, from the UC Davis Department of Anthropology teaching
collection with very little provenience other than it was surface
collected by Dr. Robert Bettinger in the 1960s to 70s in Fortuna, in
Humboldt County, CA-HUM-15.
Determinations
UC Davis has determined that:
<bullet> The five 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 reasonable connection between the cultural
items described in this notice and the Wiyot Tribe, California.
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, the UC Davis 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 UC Davis 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 8, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23366 Filed 12-18-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 19, 2025.
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