Notice of Intended Repatriation: Field Museum, Chicago, IL

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Field Museum 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 203 (Thursday, October 22, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 203 (Thursday, October 22, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66718-66719]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21535]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7575; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0044027; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Field Museum, Chicago, IL

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 Field Museum 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 November 23, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural items in this notice to June Carpenter, Field Museum, 1400 S 
Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5d373e3c2f2d383329382f1d3b3438313930282e38283073322f3a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e78d848695978289938295a7818e828b838a929482928ac9889580">[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 
Field 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 96 cultural items have been requested for repatriation. 
The four unassociated funerary objects are a bowl, a knapper, a chisel, 
and a basket. The eight sacred objects are four mortars and pestles, 
two bowls, one medicine, and one feather headband. The 84 objects of 
cultural patrimony are 47 baskets, 16 basket caps, eight lots of basket 
materials, three water containers, two meal brushes, two arrow planes, 
one bow and arrows, one mortar and pestle, one knapper set, one cradle 
frame, one ball, and one tray. All of the cultural items were removed 
from various sites in Kern County, California. In 1894, Edward E. Ayer 
donated three of the baskets to the Field Museum. In 1901, 1902, and 
1904, on behalf of the Field Museum, Dr. John Hudson collected 66 of 
the cultural items on expeditions among the Native populations of 
California. The Museum accessioned those items during the same years 
they were collected. In 1920, 1921, 1929, and 1937, Homer E. Sargent 
donated 27 of the cultural items from his personal collection to the 
Museum.

Determinations

    The Field Museum has determined that:
    <bullet> The four unassociated funerary objects described in this 
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with 
or near human remains, and is 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 objects have 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 eight 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> The 84 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

[[Page 66719]]

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 November 23, 2026. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the Field 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 Field 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: October 15, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-21535 Filed 10-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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