Tennessee and Kansas Museums List Native Remains for Tribal Return
Published Date: 3/18/2025
Notice
Summary
The University of Tennessee and Kansas State Historical Society have finished checking and listing Native American human remains and burial items found in Kansas. These remains and objects are linked to specific Native tribes and will be returned starting April 17, 2025. This process respects Native heritage and involves no costs or delays for the public.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation to Cheyenne and Arapaho
If you are a member or representative of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, the University of Tennessee and the Kansas State Historical Society identified human remains representing at least four individuals and 66 associated funerary objects from burial site 14MD401 in Meade County, Kansas. Those remains and objects have been determined to be culturally affiliated with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma, and may be repatriated on or after April 17, 2025.
Who May Request Repatriation
Written requests for repatriation may be sent to the contacts listed in the notice. Requests may be submitted by the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes identified in the notice, or by any lineal descendant or tribe/organization that shows by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated; repatriation may occur on or after April 17, 2025. If competing requests are received, the University of Tennessee and Kansas State Historical Society will decide the appropriate requestor; joint requests count as a single request.
No Known Hazardous Treatments
The institutions state that, to their knowledge, no known hazardous substances were used to treat any of the human remains or associated funerary objects from this site. This means the remains and objects are not reported to have been chemically treated or contaminated in a way noted in the notice.
No Public Costs or Delays
The notice states the repatriation process for these remains and objects involves no costs or delays for the public. Repatriation activities may proceed on or after April 17, 2025, without imposing public fees or holding the items from return for public-facing reasons.
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