Notice2025-23368
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka, AK
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 Sheldon Jackson Museum intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of an unassociated funerary objects and that has 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]
[Pages 59568-59569]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23368]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6790; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041559; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka,
AK
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 Sheldon Jackson Museum intends to
repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of an
unassociated funerary objects and that has a cultural affiliation with
the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice may occur on or
after January 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural item in this notice to Jacqueline Fernandez-Hamberg, Sheldon
Jackson Museum, 104 College Drive, Sitka, AK 99835, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e3a982809296868f8a8d86cda586918d828d878699ceab828e81869184a3828f82908882cd848c95"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3872595b494d5d5451565d167e5d4a5659565c5d42157059555a5d4a5f785954594b5359165f574e">[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
Sheldon Jackson 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 one cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The one unassociated funerary object is a small wooden head carved of a
knot at the end of a branch with human teeth set in the mouth. The
carved human face similar to small faces from Point Hope; human teeth
set in mouth. Groove around edge of face perhaps for some feather or
hair attachments. End of handle broken off. The back of the carving has
the following handwritten inscription: Walla-pi Near Point Barrow
Alaska 1892. The piece is culturally affiliated with the Native Village
of Barrow based off the inscription and its reference to Point Barrow
and Walla-pi.
Determinations
The Sheldon Jackson Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The one unassociated funerary objects described in this
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with
or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The
unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance
of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe
or Native Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural item described
in this notice and the Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional
Government.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural item
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
[[Page 59569]]
a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice to a requestor may
occur on or after January 20, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Sheldon Jackson Museum must determine
the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for
joint repatriation of the cultural item are considered a single request
and not competing requests. The Sheldon Jackson 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: December 8, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23368 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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