[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 3, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23549-23550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-10004]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0040173; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: The Children's Museum of 
Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), The Children's Museum of Indianapolis 
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 July 3, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Jennifer Noffze, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, 3000 
N Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208, telephone (317) 334-3722, 
email [email protected].

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 
Children's Museum of Indianapolis 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.

[[Page 23550]]

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of one cultural item has been requested for repatriation. 
The one object of cultural patrimony is a quill stitched buffalo robe 
(52.376.103) belonging to the Women's Quill Society of the Arapaho. The 
robe was donated to the museum in 1952 by Margaret Morehouse. The 
buffalo robe holds significant historical and cultural importance 
within the Arapaho community, and these items are of immense spiritual 
value. Porcupine quills hold profound cultural and spiritual 
significance for the Arapaho people. They were traditionally used for 
clothing, blankets, teepees, and other essential items. The Arapaho 
Quill Women's Society, composed of seven elderly women, each possessed 
a sacred quill-working bag. The quill stitch designs they created were 
closely tied to the Arapaho spiritual beliefs and traditions. It was 
understood that one could not simply create quill stitch patterns 
independently or devise new designs without sacred guidance.

Determinations

    The Children's Museum of Indianapolis has determined that:
     The one object of cultural patrimony described in this 
notice has ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance 
central to the Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, 
Wyoming, according to the Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River 
Reservation, Wyoming traditional knowledge.
     There is a reasonable connection between the cultural item 
described in this notice and the Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind 
River Reservation, Wyoming.

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 July 3, 2025. If competing requests for repatriation 
are received, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis 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 Children's Museum of Indianapolis 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: May 13, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-10004 Filed 6-2-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P