Notice2026-04049
Notice of Intended Repatriation: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
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
March 2, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the American Museum of Natural History 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 40 (Monday, March 2, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 40 (Monday, March 2, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10113-10114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04049]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6964; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042106; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: American Museum of Natural
History, New York, NY
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 American Museum of Natural History
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 April 1, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Nell Murphy, American Museum of
Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#95fbf8e0e7e5fdecd5f4f8fbfdbbfae7f2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5b35362e292b33221b3a3635337534293c">[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
American Museum of Natural History, 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 10 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The 10 unassociated funerary objects are one wood pipe section, one
burial kapa (bark cloth), two cordage samples, two kapa samples, and
four sticks. The items were collected from unknown locations in Hawaii.
For all but the one burial kapa, Museum records indicate a locale of
``HI, Burial Cave''. The locale information for the burial tapa is
simply Hawaii. All 10 items were donated to the Museum by Dr. D'Alte A.
Welch, a malacologist at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and later a
professor at John Carroll University in Ohio. The AMNH received the
items in 1952 across two accessions.
While it no longer does so, in the past, the Museum applied
potentially hazardous pesticides to items in the collections. Museum
records do not list specific objects treated or which of several
chemicals used were applied to a particular item. Therefore, those
handling this material should follow the advice of industrial
hygienists or medical personnel with specialized training in
occupational health or with potentially hazardous substances.
Determinations
The American Museum of Natural History has determined that:
<bullet> The 10 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 reasonable connection between the cultural
items described in this notice and the Hui Iwi Kuamo.
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
[[Page 10114]]
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 April 1, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the American Museum of Natural History 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 American Museum of
Natural History 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 20, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-04049 Filed 2-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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