Notice2026-19992
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Boston Children's Museum, Boston, MA
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 30, 2026
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Boston Children's Museum intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects 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 188 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 188 (Wednesday, September 30, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61866-61867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-19992]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[N7528; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043891; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]
Notice of Intended Repatriation: Boston Children's Museum,
Boston, MA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Boston Children's Museum intends to
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred
objects 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 30, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the
cultural items in this notice to Melissa Higgins, Boston Children's
Museum, 308 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210, email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#335b5a54545a5d4073515c40475c5d505b5a5f5741565d405e464056465e1d5c4154"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="89e1e0eeeee0e7fac9ebe6fafde6e7eae1e0e5edfbece7fae4fcfaecfce4a7e6fbee">[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 Boston
Children's 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 sacred objects are P[omacr]haku Poho (stone lamps).
The two P[omacr]haku Poho were purchased by Boston Children's
Museum in 1968 from Joseph A. O'Leary of Opa-Locka, Florida. Both were
labeled with legacy tags as being from Kauai.
All of these items have cultural associations with Hui Iwi Kuamo`o.
No potentially hazardous substances are known to have been used to
treat any of these items.
Determinations
The Boston Children's Museum has determined that:
<bullet> The two sacred objects described in this notice are
specific ceremonial objects 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 items described
in this notice and the Hui Iwi Kuamo'o.
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 30, 2026. If competing requests for
repatriation are received, Boston Children's 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. Boston Children's 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.
[[Page 61867]]
Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act,
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Dated: September 24, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-19992 Filed 9-29-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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