Notice2026-00071
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL
Primary source
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Published
January 7, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Florida-Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary 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 91 Issue 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 532-533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00071]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6842; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041702; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Florida, Florida
Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL
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 Florida-Florida Museum of
Natural History (FLMNH) intends to repatriate certain cultural items
that meet the definition of unassociated funerary 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 February 6, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural
[[Page 533]]
items in this notice to David Blackburn, University of Florida, Florida
Museum of Natural History, 1659 Museum Road, Gainesville, FL 32611,
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#98d6f9ffe8eaf9d7fefef1fbfdd8fef4f7eaf1fcf9f5edebfdedf5b6edfef4b6fdfced"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="eea08f899e9c8fa18888878d8bae8882819c878a8f839b9d8b9b83c09b8882c08b8a9b">[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
FLMNH, 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 approximately 144 cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. The 144 unassociated funerary objects (83-13; A19949)
include faceted glass beads in red, orange, blue, yellow and green of
approximately 3.8x4mm in diameter, round purple and clear beads in
4x4mm, and opaque 4x5mm beads. The catalog records indicate that these
beads were removed from a ``modern Seminole burial around 1950''
somewhere along Loop Road of Monroe County, although the exact location
of the burial is unknown. They were transferred to the FLMNH from the
University of Florida Department of Anthropology in 1977. There are no
known hazardous or potentially hazardous substances. Through the
process of consultation, the site has been determined to be culturally
affiliated with the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, the
Seminole Nation of Florida, and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Determinations
The FLMNH has determined that:
<bullet> The approximately 144 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 items described
in this notice and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
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 February 6, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the FLMNH 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 FLMNH 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 18, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-00071 Filed 1-6-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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