Navy Sets Date for Returning Native and Hawaiian Cultural Items
Published Date: 4/9/2026
Notice
Summary
The Navy has finished checking its collection of Native American human remains and found they belong to certain tribes and Native Hawaiian groups. Starting May 11, 2026, these remains can be returned to their rightful communities. This process respects cultural heritage and involves no costs or hazards.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation Available May 11, 2026
The Department of the Navy has completed an inventory for 30 Native American individuals and determined cultural affiliation. Repatriation of these human remains may occur on or after May 11, 2026, to the affiliated Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations named in the notice.
Who Can Request Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation must be sent to the Navy representative (Richard G. Bark) at the address and email listed in the notice. Requests may be submitted by any one or more of the Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations named in the notice, or by a lineal descendant or other Tribe/organization that shows cultural affiliation by a preponderance of the evidence; competing requests will be resolved by the Department of the Navy.
No Associated Funerary Objects Present
The notice states that no associated funerary objects are present with the identified human remains. This means repatriation would involve only the human remains and not associated artifacts.
No Hazardous Treatments Recorded; Shellac Note
Records indicate no potentially hazardous substances were used to treat the human remains. The notice also states that crania representing three individuals are covered in a shellac-like material.
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