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Notice2026-18965

Notice of Intended Repatriation: Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK

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
September 16, 2026

Issuing agencies

Interior DepartmentNational Park Service

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Gilcrease Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of 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 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58707-58708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18965]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7499; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043748; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK

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 Gilcrease Museum intends to repatriate 
certain cultural items that meet the definition of 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 October 16, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural items in this notice to Laura Bryant, Gilcrease Museum, 1400 N 
Gilcrease Museum Road, Tulsa, OK 74127, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b5d9d4c0c7d498d7c7ccd4dbc1f5c0c1c0d9c6d49bd0d1c0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e38f82969182ce81919a828d97a39697968f9082cd868796">[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 
Gilcrease 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 two cultural items have been requested for repatriation. 
The two objects of cultural patrimony are baskets (TL2026.11.50 and 
71.721). One basket

[[Page 58708]]

is identified as a Tubatulabal bottleneck olla and was donated to 
Gilcrease in 2026 by Alan and Berte Hirschfield, who were collectors 
from Wyoming. They likely acquired this basket in the late 20th century 
from an auction house or trading post. The presence of any potentially 
hazardous substances is unknown. The other basket is also identified as 
Tubatulabal and from the Kern River circa 1890. In 1995, Bob Lengacher 
donated the basket to Gilcrease; the basket was collected in California 
by Lengacher's aunt in the early 20th century.

Determinations

    The Gilcrease Museum has determined that:
    <bullet> The two 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 October 16, 2026. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the Gilcrease 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 Gilcrease 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: September 10, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-18965 Filed 9-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on September 16, 2026.

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