Notice2026-18975
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE
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 University of Nebraska State Museum intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meet the definition of a sacred object 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 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 178 (Wednesday, September 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 58695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18975]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7492; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043745; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Nebraska State
Museum, Lincoln, NE
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 University of Nebraska State Museum
intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meet the definition
of a sacred object 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 October 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural item in this notice to Taylor Ronquillo, NAGPRA Program
Manager, University of Nebraska State Museum, Morrill Hall, 645 N 14th
Street, Lincoln, NE 68588, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5521273a3b24203c39393a6715203b397b303120"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7d090f12130c08141111124f3d08131153181908">[email protected]</span></a> and Susan Weller,
NAGPRA Coordinator, University of Nebraska State Museum, Morrill Hall,
645 N 14th Street, Lincoln, NE 68588, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d8abafbdb4b4bdaaea98adb6b4f6bdbcad"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c4b7b3a1a8a8a1b6f684b1aaa8eaa1a0b1">[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
University of Nebraska State 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 one cultural item has been requested for repatriation.
The one sacred object is a gold tin filled with two preserved corn cobs
and two packets of tobacco tied with twine. Barbara Salvatore gifted
the tin with its contents to Dr. Mark Awakuni-Swetland, Associate
Professor of Anthropology, in 2008. UNL Archives and Special
Collections received the corn as part of the Awakuni-Swetland papers,
transferred to the University Archives by Swetland's wife, Donna
Swetland, after his death.
Determinations
The University of Nebraska State Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The one sacred object described in this notice is a
specific ceremonial object 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> There is a connection between the cultural item described
in this notice and the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska.
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 October 16, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, the University of Nebraska State Museum must
determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation. Requests
for joint repatriation of the cultural item are considered a single
request and not competing requests. The University of Nebraska State
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. 2026-18975 Filed 9-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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