Notice of Intended Repatriation: Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, Wichita, KS

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum (WSCHM) intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of a sacred object and that has a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes in this notice.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 209 (Friday, October 30, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68555-68556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22144]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7594; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0044067; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Wichita-Sedgwick County 
Historical Museum, Wichita, KS

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 Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical 
Museum (WSCHM) intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets 
the definition of a sacred object and that has a cultural affiliation 
with the Indian Tribes in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice may occur on or 
after November 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural item in this notice to Jami Frazier Tracy, Wichita-Sedgwick 
County Historical Museum, 204 South Main Street, Wichita, KS 67202, 
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0e646f63674e79676d66677a6f66677d7a617c7720617c69"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="701a111d193007191318190411181903041f02095e1f0217">[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 
WSCHM 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 have been requested for repatriation. 
The one sacred object is a shield. This shield was collected ty Finlay 
Ross (1847-1933) and donated to the WSCHM in 1939 by his widow, Ella 
Fuller Ross. This shield is associated with the Anadarko Affair, also 
known as the Battle of the Wichita

[[Page 68556]]

Agency, a conflict between the Comanche and Kiowa tribes against the 
Agency. A 1930 article published in the ``Wichita Beacon'' newspaper 
mentioning both the shield and battle stated, ``The battle at the 
Wichita agency is commemorated by a beautiful round shield. . . 
belonging to Mr. Finlay Ross.'' The article further states that Ross 
``took it from the Comanche village after it was captured by the 
calvary . . . .'' This provenance is further supported by the WSCHM 
accession ledger, stating, ``Shield captured at battle . . . Anadarko 
Indian Territory between US Troops, Civilians, and Comanche Indians 
August 22, 1874.'' The WSCHM records indicate no known hazardous 
substances used to treat the item.

Determinations

    The WSCHM 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 an Indian Tribe.
    <bullet> There is a connection between the cultural item described 
in this notice and the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma.

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 30, 2026. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the WSCHM 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 WSCHM is responsible for sending a copy of 
this notice to the Indian Tribes 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 22, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-22144 Filed 10-29-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


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