Notice2025-23538

Notice of Intended Repatriation: Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka, AK

Primary source

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Published
December 22, 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 object of cultural patrimony 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 243 (Monday, December 22, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 243 (Monday, December 22, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59863-59864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23538]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6805; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041627; 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 
object of cultural patrimony and that has a cultural affiliation with 
the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

[[Page 59864]]


DATES: Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice may occur on or 
after January 21, 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#6e240f0d1f1b0b0207000b40280b1c000f000a0b1443260f030c0b1c092e0f020f1d050f40090118"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cd87acaebcb8a8a1a4a3a8e38ba8bfa3aca3a9a8b7e085aca0afa8bfaa8daca1acbea6ace3aaa2bb">[email&#160;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 object of cultural patrimony is a Tlingit war helmet. Helmet 
carved from of wood burl wood, covered tightly with bear skin with fur 
on it. The figure is the raven, representing the Raven moiety crest of 
the Sitka Kiks.adi clan. The eyes are inlaid with copper.

Determinations

    The Sheldon Jackson Museum has determined that:
    <bullet> The one object 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 item described 
in this notice and the Sitka Tribe of Alaska.

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 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 21, 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 12, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-23538 Filed 12-19-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on December 22, 2025.

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