Notice2026-07389
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Field Museum, Chicago, IL
Primary source
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Published
April 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Field Museum 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 73 (Thursday, April 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 73 (Thursday, April 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 20481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07389]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7087; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042608; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Field Museum, Chicago, IL
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 Field Museum 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 May 18, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to June Carpenter, Field Museum, 1400 S
Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e38980829193868d978691a3858a868f878e969086968ecd8c9184"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="abc1c8cad9dbcec5dfced9ebcdc2cec7cfc6ded8cedec685c4d9cc">[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
Field Museum, 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 41 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The one unassociated funerary object is a basket. The six sacred
objects are a mortar, a pestle, tobacco, angelica root, snuff and salt
grass, and medicine. The 34 objects of cultural patrimony are 19
baskets, a brush, an arrow plane, a necklace, a gorget, a pair of
moccasins, a bow, a lot of arrows, a mortar, a mortar and pestle, two
pestles, a pipe, two lots of stone tools, and tobacco. In early 1901,
the cultural items were removed from Kern County in California. The
items were collected by Dr. John Hudson on behalf of the Field Museum
during a two-year expedition among the Native populations of California
and accessioned by the Museum later in 1901.
Determinations
The Field Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The one unassociated funerary object described in this
notice is reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or
near human remains, and is 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 object has 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 six 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> The 34 objects of cultural patrimony described in this
notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance
central to the Native American group, including any constituent sub-
group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial society, or other
subdivision), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of
an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Tejon Indian Tribe.
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 May 18, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the Field Museum 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 Field Museum 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: April 8, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-07389 Filed 4-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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