Notice2026-10560
Notice of Inventory Completion: Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, OR
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), Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU) has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and 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 31742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-10560]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7178; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042856; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Inventory Completion: Oregon Health & Sciences
University, Portland, OR
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU)
has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that
there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the human remains in this notice may occur on or
after June 29, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the human remains
in this notice to Alice Cuprill Comas, Oregon Health & Science
University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e78b8280868ba7888f9492c9828392"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="adc1c8caccc1edc2c5ded883c8c9d8">[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 OHSU,
and additional information on the determinations in this notice,
including the results of consultation, can be found in its inventory or
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
Human remains representing, at least, three individuals have been
identified. The individuals were removed from an unknown location on an
unknown date and eventually acquired by the School of Dentistry at
Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU) for teaching purposes. In
August 2022, the ancestors were evaluated by an osteologist and
determined to be Native American. Addition assessments requested by
consulting Tribes were completed in 2024 and 2025. Information from
those assessments suggest that based on evidence of Chinook-style
cranial modifications, the individuals are possibly from an area along
the mid-lower Columbia River region in Oregon or Washington, or the
northern part of the Willamette Valley region, OR. No associated
funerary objects are present.
Human remains representing, at least, one individual have been
identified. On an unknown date, the human remains were removed from an
unknown geographic location and acquired by Dr. Sard Wiest, a physician
who lived and worked in Portland at the University of Oregon School of
Medicine, now Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU). On April 29,
1949, Dr. Sard Wiest's wife donated the ancestor to OHSU after Dr.
Wiest's passing in July 1948. It's unknown how Dr. Wiest acquired the
ancestor, and they were then housed within the Medical Museum
Collection. In August 2022, the ancestor was evaluated by an
osteologist to determine if they were Native American. Additional
osteological assessments were completed in May 2024 and January 2025
after receiving requests from consulting Tribes. The information from
those assessments show that the ancestor is Native American with a
lambda-occipital cranial modification (cradleboard). Based on the
collection history of OHSU, Dr. Sard Wiest's location in Portland, OR,
and biological evidence provided in the osteology assessments, it's
likely that the ancestor was removed from the greater mid-lower
Columbia River region in Oregon or Washington, or the northern
Willamette Valley region, Oregon.
Cultural Affiliation
Based on the information available and the results of consultation,
cultural affiliation is reasonably identified by the geographical
location and acquisition history of the human remains described in this
notice.
Determinations
OHSU has determined that:
<bullet> The human remains described in this notice represent the
physical remains of four individuals of Native American ancestry.
<bullet> There is a connection between the human remains described
in this notice and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama
Nation; Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon; Confederated
Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon; Confederated Tribes of
the Umatilla Indian Reservation; Confederated Tribes of the Warm
Springs Reservation of Oregon; Cowlitz Indian Tribe; Nez Perce Tribe;
and the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian
Reservation.
Requests for Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation of the human remains in this
notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this
notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by:
1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian
organizations identified in this notice.
2. 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 an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization with
cultural affiliation.
Repatriation of the human remains described in this notice to a
requestor may occur on or after June 29, 2026. If competing requests
for repatriation are received, OHSU must determine the most appropriate
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the
human remains are considered a single request and not competing
requests. OHSU is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this
notice and any other consulting parties.
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.
Dated: May 19, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-10560 Filed 5-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 28, 2026.
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