Notice2026-03560
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, 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
February 23, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or 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 91 Issue 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8519-8520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03560]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6936; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042042; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Oakland Museum of California,
Oakland, 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 Oakland Museum of California (OMCA)
intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition
of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or 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 March 25, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Anna Bunting, Oakland Museum of
California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0d636c6a7d7f6c4d60787e6878606e6c23627f6a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0d636c6a7d7f6c4d60787e6878606e6c23627f6a">[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
Oakland Museum of California, 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 89 cultural items, represented by 76 catalog numbers,
have been requested for repatriation. All of these items were removed
from the Hawaiian Islands by various collectors in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries and were donated to the Oakland Public Museum
(OPM) or the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) between 1912 and 1982.
OPM's collection was incorporated into the OMCA in 1969.
The four unassociated funerary objects, represented by three
catalog numbers, are two Kapa (Bark Cloth) cataloged with one number
with a tag stating ``Found in cave on Hawaii'' acquired by OPM in
December 1925. Donated by the Ebell Society. And two Kapa Moe (Bark
Cloth Sleeping Blanket), collected from unidentified burial caves,
acquired by OPM in November 1952, donated by Mrs. R. Sutphen.
The 85 sacred objects, represented by 73 catalog numbers are: one
sperm whale tooth, two P[omacr]haku Ku`i `Ai (Stone Food Pounders), two
`Ulumaika (Stone Disc for Bowling), one `I`e K[umacr]k[umacr] (Kapa
Beater), one Mea Kapu (Ceremonial Object), one Papa Ku`i `Ai (Poi
Pounding Board), one Kapa Moe (Bark Cloth Sleeping Blanket), one Huewai
(Water Carrying Gourd) four `Umeke (Gourd Bowl) cataloged with one
number, one Lei P[umacr]p[umacr] (Shell Necklace) of Land Snails, and
three Kapa (Bark Cloth) cataloged with one number. (Nine of these items
were acquired by the OPM in April 1912, purchased from Sarah Deming.
The other nine were acquired by OPM in October 1922, donated by Sarah
Deming as part of her estate). One Ko`i (Adze) from the island of
Kaua`i acquired by OPM in December 1917. Donated by W.C. Hollinsead.
One P[omacr]haku Poho (Stone Lamp Base) acquired by OPM in June 1919.
Donated by Amelia Sellander.
Two `I`e K[umacr]k[umacr] (Kapa Beater) acquired by OPM in July
1921. Donated by Samuel M. Marks. Two Kapa (Bark Cloth) cataloged with
one number, acquired by OPM in July 1921. Donated by Mrs. Jas. Maclise.
One P[omacr]haku Poho (Stone Lamp Base), one Ko`i (Adze), one Kapa Moe
(Bark Cloth Sleeping Blanket) acquired by OPM in June 1922. Donated by
Mrs. Gertrude Warwick. One P[omacr]haku L[umacr]he`e (Octopus Lure
Sinker) and one Ko`i (Adze) acquired by OPM in June 1924. Donated by
Mrs. C.H. King. One `Aha (Cordage) acquired by OPM in September 1924
and one P[amacr]pale (Hat) acquired by OPM in May 1930. Both were
donated by Agnes Jewett. One `Eke (Basket) for a Fisherman, two Kapa
Moe (Bark Cloth Sleeping Blanket), three P[omacr]haku Ku`i `Ai (Stone
Food Pounder), one `I`e K[umacr]k[umacr] (Kapa Beater) acquired by OPM
in May 1927, donated by Mrs. Henry Wetherbee. One P[amacr]pale (Hat)
acquired by OPM in September 1927, donated by Mrs. Philip E. Bowels.
One Kapa Moe--Kilohana (Bark Cloth Sleeping Blanket) and one
P[omacr]haku Poho (Stone Lamp Base) acquired by OPM in August 1927,
donated by Mrs. B. Garcin. One description of Papa Ku`i `Ai (Poi
Pounding Board) of Kamehameha. Acquired by OPM in August 1913, donated
by Charles Wilcomb. One Ko`i (Adze Blade) with Handle and one Lei Hulu
(Feather Necklace) of O'o Feathers, acquired by OPM in 1921, purchased
from Dr. John Rabe. One Ipu (Gourd), one `I`e K[umacr]k[umacr] (Kapa
Beater), one `Aha (Cordage), one Kapa (Bark Cloth), two Ko`i (Adze
Blade), acquired by OPM in March 1939, donated by the C.S. Lewis
Estate. Three Kapa Moe (Bark Cloth Sleeping Blanket) and three Kapa
(Bark Cloth), acquired by OPM in July 1948, donated by Elise M. Dodge.
The Kapa were removed from Hawaii between 1890--1900 by the donor's
grandfather. One Papale (Hat), one `I`e K[umacr]k[umacr] (Kapa Beater),
acquired by OPM in June 1937, donated by Mrs. Jesse M. Acuff. Four
`Umeke Poi (Poi Bowl), acquired by OPM in January 1962, donated by
Miguel P. Wall. One Lapa (Bamboo Liner for Kapa Printing) and one Kapa
(Bark Cloth) acquired by OPM in November 1967, donated by Dr. Michael
Mathes. Two `I`e K[umacr]k[umacr] (Kapa Beater), one L[umacr]he`e
(Squid Lure) with a Metal Hook, acquired by OPM in August 1968, Donated
by Mrs. George Werkley. Two Kapa (Bark Cloth), cataloged as one number,
acquired by the Oakland Museum in 1973. Donated by Marie Wheeler. One
`Umeke Poi (Poi Bowl), one `I`e K[umacr]k[umacr] (Kapa Beater), one
Papa Ku`i `Ai (Poi Pounding Board) were found in collections in 1974
and given `Object of Unknown Origin' numbers. Three Lei Niho Palaoa
(Whale Tooth and Human Hair Pendant Necklace), two P[omacr]haku Ku`i
`Ai (Stone Food Pounder), two Ki`i P[omacr]haku (Stone Image), six Leka
(Letterhead) cataloged as one number from the Kingdom of Hawai`i,
acquired by the Oakland Museum in December 1982. Donated by Milton C.
Buckley.
The presence of potentially hazardous substances on these
particular items is unknown.
Determinations
The Oakland Museum of California has determined that:
<bullet> The four unassociated funerary objects described in this
notice are
[[Page 8520]]
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> The 85 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 Hui Iwi Kuamo`o.
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 March 25, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Oakland Museum of California 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 Oakland Museum of
California 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: February 13, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-03560 Filed 2-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 23, 2026.
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