Notice2026-10554

Notice of Intended Repatriation: Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA

Primary source

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Published
May 28, 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 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 102 (Thursday, May 28, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 102 (Thursday, May 28, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 31732]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-10554]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7172; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042842; 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 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 June 29, 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#0967686e797b6849647c7a6c7c646a6827667b6e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5d333c3a2d2f3c1d30282e3828303e3c73322f3a">[email&#160;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 
OMCA, 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 seven cultural items have been requested for 
repatriation. The seven unassociated funerary items are lithics, 
cataloged as five charm stones, one arrow point, and one fishing 
weight. A total of four of the charm stones were removed from Sonoma 
County prior to 1909 by Charles P. Wilcomb, and acquired by the Oakland 
Public Museum (OPM) in 1909. OPM and its collection were incorporated 
into the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) in 1969. A total of one 
charm stone was removed from Sonoma County prior to 1912 and was 
donated to OPM by Edward Paxton in 1912. A total of one arrow point was 
found by Grant Monroe near Kenwood in Sonoma County at an unknown date 
and was donated to OPM in 1950 by the collector. A total of one fishing 
weight was found by Cameron Lyon near the crest of Bear Valley Trail in 
Point Reyes, Marin County at an unknown date and was donated to OMCA by 
the collector in 1992. The presence of potentially hazardous substances 
on these particular items is unknown.

Determinations

    The OMCA has determined that:
    <bullet> The seven 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 Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, 
California.

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 June 29, 2026. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the OMCA 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 OMCA 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: May 19, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-10554 Filed 5-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on May 28, 2026.

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