Notice2026-05962
Notice of Intended Repatriation: The University of Maine, Orono, ME
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 27, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Maine, Orono, 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 59 (Friday, March 27, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 59 (Friday, March 27, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14866-14867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-05962]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N6957; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042473; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: The University of Maine, Orono,
ME
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 Maine, Orono, 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 27, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Dr. Bonnie Newsom, Anthropology
Department, University of Maine, 5773 South Stevens Hall, Orono, ME
04469, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9efcf1f0f0f7fbb0f0fbe9edf1f3def3fff7f0fbb0fbfaeb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="67050809090e024909021014080a270a060e090249020312">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative
[[Page 14867]]
responsibilities under NAGPRA. The determinations in this notice are
the sole responsibility of the University of Maine, Orono, 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 184 cultural items has been requested for repatriation.
These items include artifacts, soil and ocher samples, and casts of
funerary objects that were donated to the University of Maine over its
history by collectors such as Walter B. Smith and materials left from
Dr. Brian Robinson's research into funerary practices in Maine and New
England prior to European Contact.
A total of 26 unassociated funerary items could not be associated
with a known archaeological site but are reasonably assumed to be from
sites located in Maine based on regional typologies and research
interests of Northeastern archaeology faculty. The 26 unassociated
funerary objects include two ocher-stained gouges, an ocher-stained
celt, an atlatl weight, an ocher-stained ground stone preform, 16
bifaces, a rounded pebble, a slate point fragment, and three abraders.
A total of 113 items are from the Godfrey Cemetery site, dated to
approximately 3800 BP, and located in Old Town, Penobscot County,
Maine. The 113 unassociated funerary objects include a small lithic
flake from a stone tool, a limonite sample with insect pupae from a
fire-starting kit, two sediment samples, one charcoal sample, 19
plaster artifact casts, and 89 wax flakes scraped from funerary objects
after making casts of the objects.
A total of 45 plaster casts created directly from funerary objects
are from the Overlock Cemetery site located in Warren, Knox County,
Maine. The site dates to approximately 3800-3600 BP.
Determinations
The University of Maine, Orono, has determined that:
<bullet> The 184 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 Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians; Mi'kmaq Nation
(previously listed as Aroostook Band of Micmacs); Passamaquoddy Tribe;
and the Penobscot Nation.
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 April 27, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the University of Maine, Orono, 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 University of Maine,
Orono, 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: March 20, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-05962 Filed 3-26-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on March 27, 2026.
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