[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58268-58269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22890]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N6615; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0041346; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, 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), the Peabody Essex Museum has completed an 
inventory of associated funerary objects and has determined that there 
is a cultural affiliation between the associated funerary objects and 
Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice 
may occur on or after January 15, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send written requests for repatriation of the associated 
funerary objects in this notice to Kelly Ferguson, NAGPRA Project 
Manager, Peabody Essex Museum, 161 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01970, 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 
Peabody Essex Museum, and additional information on the determinations 
in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in 
its inventory or related records. The National Park Service is not 
responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    The three associated funerary objects are fragments of dark brown, 
patterned burial kapa. Two fragments have a pattern of small triangles 
and one fragment is patterned with thin stripes.
    Prior to 1938, Marcia Brown Bishop collected the kapa fragments in 
Hawai[revaps]i. Her catalog indicates they came from a burial cave. In 
1938, she deposited the fragments at the Peabody Museum of Salem for an 
exhibition. In 1966, the museum purchased the items as part of the 
Marcia Brown [Richards] Bishop Collection. Consultation with 
representatives of Hui Iwi Kuamo[revaps]o indicates these items were 
used as burial kapa and were likely from Kanupa Cave, based on 
similarity to other pieces from this site.
    The museum has no record of any potentially hazardous substances 
used to treat any of the human remains or associated funerary objects.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available 
about the associated funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

    The Peabody Essex Museum has determined that:
     The three objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
     There is a connection between the associated funerary 
objects described in this notice and the Hui Iwi Kuamo'o.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the associated funerary 
objects in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative 
identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation 
may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that

[[Page 58269]]

the requestor is a lineal descendant or an Indian Tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization with cultural affiliation.
    Repatriation of the associated funerary objects described in this 
notice to a requestor may occur on or after January 15, 2026. If 
competing requests for repatriation are received, the Peabody Essex 
Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor prior to 
repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the associated 
funerary objects are considered a single request and not competing 
requests. The Peabody Essex Museum is responsible for sending a copy of 
this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations 
identified in this notice and any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: November 17, 2025.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-22890 Filed 12-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P