Notice2026-10569
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, CA
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
May 28, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of a sacred object/object of cultural patrimony and that has 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]
[Pages 31733-31734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-10569]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7187; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042865; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural
History, Santa Barbara, 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 Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition
of a sacred object/object of cultural patrimony and that has a cultural
affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in
this notice.
DATES: Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice may occur on or
after June 29, 2026.
[[Page 31734]]
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural item in this notice to Luke Swetland, President and CEO, Santa
Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara,
CA 93105, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#573b242032233b3639331724353936232225326579382530"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2c405f5b4958404d42486c5f4e424d58595e491e02435e4b">[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
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 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 one cultural item has been requested for repatriation.
The one sacred object/object of cultural patrimony is a Tsimshian
amhalaayt (chiefly headdress). This item was purchased by Major Max
Fleischmann, from W.C. Waters' Bear Totem Store in Wrangell, Alaska in
1939, and donated to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History later
that same year. Traditional knowledge of Indian Tribes shared through
consultation revealed that this amhalaayt was created and worn by
Sm'oogyit Niishluut (Chief Sidney Campbell), a founding leader and
Chief of the Metlakatla Indian Community.
Determinations
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has determined that:
<bullet> The one sacred object/object of cultural patrimony
described in this notice are, according to the Native American
traditional knowledge of an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian
organization, specific ceremonial objects needed by a traditional
Native American religious leader for present-day adherents to practice
traditional Native American religion, and 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).
<bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described
in this notice and the Metlakatla Indian Community, Annette Island
Reserve.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural item
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 item in this notice to a requestor may
occur on or after June 29, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation
are received, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History must
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation.
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural item are considered a
single request and not competing requests. The Santa Barbara Museum of
Natural History 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. 2026-10569 Filed 5-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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