Notice of Intended Repatriation: Hudson Museum, University of Maine, Orono, ME

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Hudson Museum, University of Maine intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of an 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 199 (Friday, October 16, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 199 (Friday, October 16, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 65767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21122]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7573; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043947; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Hudson Museum, University of 
Maine, Orono, ME

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 Hudson Museum, University of Maine 
intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition 
of an 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 November 16, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural item in this notice to A. Sky Heller, Hudson Museum, 
University of Maine, 5746 Collins Center for the Arts, Orono, ME 04469-
5746, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a1c0ccc3c4d38fd2cad88fc9c4cdcdc4d3e1ccc0c8cfc48fc4c5d4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fb9a96999e89d5889082d5939e97979e89bb969a92959ed59e9f8e">[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 
Hudson Museum, University of Maine, 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 object of cultural patrimony is a basket. The basket was 
collected from a cliff dwelling in Verde Valley, Arizona by an unknown 
individual at an unknown date and was among the collections of the 
Portland Society of Natural History located in Portland, Maine. The 
Maine Audubon Society, the successor organization of the Portland 
Society of Natural History, ceded the basket to the Hudson Museum, 
University of Maine in 1995. The Hudson Museum, University of Maine is 
not aware of the presence of any potentially hazardous substances used 
on the basket.

Determinations

    The Hudson Museum, University of Maine has determined that:
    <bullet> The one object of cultural patrimony described in this 
notice has 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 item described 
in this notice and the Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian 
Reservation, Arizona.

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 November 16, 2026. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the Hudson Museum, University of Maine 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 Hudson Museum, 
University of Maine 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: October 7, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-21122 Filed 10-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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