Hoosier Forest Repatriates Ancestral Remains to Miami Tribe
Published Date: 3/19/2025
Notice
Summary
The Hoosier National Forest plans to return Native American human remains and two special burial items found in Indiana back to the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma or other rightful groups. This will start on April 18, 2025, and if no one claims them by March 19, 2026, they’ll be considered unclaimed. This action respects Native American traditions and follows important laws protecting their heritage.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Miami Tribe given priority for repatriation
The Hoosier National Forest has determined that human remains (16 bone fragments) and two associated funerary objects (a bear canine tooth and an Anculosa shell bead) recovered in 1998 from site 12Cr0059 in Crawford County, Indiana have priority for disposition to the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma.
Disposition timing and claim deadline
Disposition of these human remains and funerary objects may occur on or after April 18, 2025. If no written claim for disposition is received by March 19, 2026, the remains and objects will be classified as unclaimed.
Who may file a claim for disposition
Written claims for disposition may be submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization identified in the notice, or by others not identified who can show by a preponderance of the evidence that they have priority for disposition.
Competing claims and joint disposition rules
If competing claims for disposition are received, the Hoosier National Forest must determine the most appropriate claimant before disposition. Requests for joint disposition are treated as a single request, not competing requests.
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