Notice2026-00860
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Ball State University, Muncie, IN
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
January 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Ball State University intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred 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 11 (Friday, January 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 11 (Friday, January 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2140-2141]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-00860]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6869; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041859; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Ball State University, Muncie,
IN
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 Ball State University intends to
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred
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 17, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Chyan Gilaspy, Ball State University,
Applied Anthropology Laboratories, 2000 W Riverside Avenue, Muncie, IN
47306, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#632d2224333122230110164d060716"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6826292f383a29280a1b1d460d0c1d">[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
Ball State 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 four cultural items have been requested for
repatriation. The four sacred objects are listed as baskets. One basket
was purchased from William Shrawder of Dublin, Indiana in 1938 and was
listed with ``Unknown'' affiliation and provenance. One ``Southwest
Pima'' basket and one ``Unknown'' basket with lid from ``Arizona'' was
gifted to the institution by a private donor in 1989 and 1990,
respectively. In 2018, an ``Unknown Southwest'' basket was bequeathed
to the institution by a private donor. The institution has no records
of treating the cultural items with potentially hazardous materials,
however, requested XRF testing results were positive for the presence
of arsenic, lead, and/or mercury.
Determinations
The Ball State University has determined that:
<bullet> The four 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> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the
Salt River Reservation, Arizona.
[[Page 2141]]
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 17, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Ball State 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. The Ball State 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: January 9, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-00860 Filed 1-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 16, 2026.
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