Notice2026-19468
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
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 23, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Michigan State University intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or 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 183 (Wednesday, September 23, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 183 (Wednesday, September 23, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60398-60399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-19468]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7504; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043799; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Michigan State University, East
Lansing, MI
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Michigan State University intends to
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of
unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects, and/or 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 23, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Judith Stoddart, Michigan State
University, 287 Delta Court, East Lansing, MI 48824, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dcafa8b3b8b8bdaea89cb1afa9f2b9b8a9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cebdbaa1aaaaafbcba8ea3bdbbe0abaabb">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA.
The
[[Page 60399]]
determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of Michigan
State University, 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 37 cultural items have been requested for repatriation.
The one unassociated funerary object is a copper pike from Baraga
County. The 36 sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony are one
bone pipe from Baraga County; one copper axe and one copper adze from
Houghton County; one stone pipe, one stone hammer, two stone scrapers,
and one sandstone from Keweenaw County; one lot of objects from 20MQ22;
22 lots of objects collected from Deer Lake, Marquette County; one lot
of objects from Baby Lake, Marquette County; three lots of lithics from
Ontonagon County; and one quartzite pipe from Ontonagon County.
Of the above objects, five are from the Boudeman collection,
collected by Donald Boudeman and donated to Michigan State University
in 1961 by Donna Boudeman after his passing. A total of four of the
objects are from the Chamberlain Memorial Museum collection, which was
acquired by Michigan State University in 1952. A total of six of the
lots were the result of professional archaeological survey conducted by
Michigan State University or by an outside contractor. The remaining 22
lots were collected by avocational archaeologists and donated to
Michigan State University in 1997. No known hazardous substances have
been used to treat any of the objects.
Determinations
Michigan State University has determined that:
<bullet> The one unassociated funerary object described in this
notice is 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 object has 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> The 36 sacred objects/objects 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 Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan.
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 23, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, Michigan State University 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. Michigan State University 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 17, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-19468 Filed 9-22-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 23, 2026.
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