Notice2026-04053
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati, OH
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 Cincinnati Museum Center intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the 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 10117-10118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-04053]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6967; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042109; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Cincinnati Museum Center,
Cincinnati, OH
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 Cincinnati Museum Center intends to
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred
objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the 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 Tyler Swinney, Cincinnati Museum
Center, 1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45203, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9de9eeeaf4f3f3f8e4ddfef4f3fee4f0e8eef8e8f0b3f2effa"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f1858286989f9f9488b192989f92889c848294849cdf9e8396">[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
Cincinnati Museum Center, 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 sacred objects are two poi pounders, three adzes, two bowling
stones, one octopus lure sinker, one wood platter, and one
[[Page 10118]]
whale tooth pendant necklace. These cultural items were collected from
the Hawaiian Islands and donated to the museum by Thomas Conway, Leland
Banning, and Amos Brokaw and were accessioned in 1994, 1939, and 2019,
respectively. The Cincinnati Museum Center has no records indicating
that these cultural items were exposed to any hazardous substances
while in the stewardship of the museum.
Through consultation, it has been determined that these cultural
items qualify as sacred items because of their ceremonial function
during the `ike p[amacr]p[amacr]lua ceremonies, where traditional
leaders renew the ceremony of spiritual communication with the
ancestors.
Determinations
The Cincinnati Museum Center has determined that:
<bullet> The 10 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 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 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 Cincinnati Museum Center 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 Cincinnati Museum Center is
responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the 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. 2026-04053 Filed 2-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 2, 2026.
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