[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 78 (Thursday, April 23, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21837-21838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07941]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7092; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0042621; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY

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 Brooklyn Museum intends to repatriate a 
certain cultural item that meets the definition of an unassociated 
funerary object 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 May 26, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural item in this notice to Dare Turner, Brooklyn Museum, 200 
Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238-6052, 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 
Brooklyn 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 one cultural item has been requested for repatriation. 
The one unassociated funerary object is a steatite manta ray effigy 
with Olivella shell inlays. The item was acquired by Alistair Martin of 
New York in 1951 from an unknown source. Martin donated the item to the 
Brooklyn Museum in 1977. Museum records and archaeological and 
anthropological scholarship identify the item as Chumash in origin. 
This cultural affiliation was confirmed through Tribal consultation and 
traditional knowledge.
    There is no specific record of hazardous substances used in the 
treatment of the unassociated funerary object. However, the Brooklyn 
Museum has historically used pesticides containing arsenic and heavy 
metals on other collections and in collection spaces.

[[Page 21838]]

Determinations

    The Brooklyn Museum has determined that:
     The one unassociated funerary object described in this 
notice is reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or 
near human remains, and are 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 object has 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.
     There is a connection between the cultural item described 
in this notice and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of 
the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.

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 May 26, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation 
are received, the Brooklyn 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 Brooklyn 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: April 15, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-07941 Filed 4-22-26; 8:45 am]
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