Tennessee Uni Clears Native Remains for Tribal Return
Published Date: 3/27/2025
Notice
Summary
The University of Tennessee’s Anthropology Department has finished checking human remains found at an ancient site in Mississippi and confirmed they belong to Native American tribes. These remains can be returned to the tribes starting April 28, 2025. This update affects the tribes connected to the Bond Village site and helps honor their heritage respectfully.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Remains eligible for return April 28, 2025
If you are a member of The Chickasaw Nation or a lineal descendant, the human remains described in this notice may be returned starting on or after April 28, 2025. The remains represent at least one individual removed from the Bond/Bond's Village site (22TU530) in Tunica County, Mississippi.
Chickasaw Nation identified as affiliated
The University of Tennessee (UTK) determined that the human remains are culturally affiliated with The Chickasaw Nation. UTK based this on anthropological, archaeological, geographical, historical information, Native American Traditional Knowledge, and oral tradition.
Who may request repatriation and how disputes are handled
Written requests for repatriation must be sent to UTK's authorized representative and may be submitted by any tribe or Native Hawaiian organization identified in the notice or by any lineal descendant or tribe not listed that shows by a preponderance of the evidence a cultural connection. If competing requests are received, UTK will determine the most appropriate requestor; joint repatriation requests are treated as a single request.
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