Harvard Peabody to Repatriate Alaskan and Oregonian Ancestors
Published Date: 4/18/2025
Notice
Summary
Harvard’s Peabody Museum has finished checking its collection of Native American human remains and found they belong to specific tribes and Native Hawaiian groups. These remains, gathered from Alaska and Oregon, will be returned to their communities starting May 19, 2025. This means important cultural items are coming home, with no costs or delays expected.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Return of 23 Native American Remains
The Peabody Museum has identified human remains representing 23 Native American individuals that are culturally affiliated with specific Alaska communities and will be eligible for repatriation on or after May 19, 2025. The notice names the affiliated communities including the Chinik Eskimo Community (Golovin); King Island Native Community; Native Village of Ambler; Native Village of Brevig Mission; Native Village of Buckland; Native Village of Council; Native Village of Deering; Native Village of Diomede (Inalik); Native Village of Elim; Native Village of Gambell; Native Village of Kiana; Native Village of Kobuk; Native Village of Koyuk; Native Village of Mary's Igloo; Native Village of Noatak; Native Village of Saint Michael; Native Village of Savoonga; Native Village of Selawik; Native Village of Shaktoolik; Native Village of Shishmaref; Native Village of Shungnak; Native Village of Teller; Native Village of Wales; Native Village of White Mountain; Nome Eskimo Community; Noorvik Native Community; Stebbins Community Association; and the Village of Solomon.
Who May Request Repatriation and Process
Written repatriation requests may be submitted by any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations named in the notice, or by a lineal descendant or other tribe/organization that shows by a preponderance of the evidence that it is a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. If competing requests are received, the Peabody Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation; requests for joint repatriation are treated as a single request.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-04606, Alaska; Hunting and Trapping in National Preserves
The National Park Service wants to update hunting and trapping rules in Alaska’s national preserves to bring back long-standing practices that support state-authorized wildlife harvests and public access. These changes affect hunters, trappers, and anyone using Alaska park lands, aiming to balance conservation with local traditions. You’ve got until April 9, 2026, to share your thoughts—no new fees or costs are expected.
2026-20013, Agency Information Collection Activities; Archeology Permit Applications and Reports
The National Park Service wants to keep collecting info for archeology permits and reports, making sure the process stays smooth and clear. This affects archeologists and anyone applying for permits to dig or study artifacts in parks. They’re asking for comments by October 30, 2026, but no changes to fees or big costs are planned.
2026-20015, Agency Information Collection Activities; National Park Service Concessions Forms
The National Park Service is asking to keep using their current forms for park concessions, like shops and services, without changes. This affects businesses working with the parks and helps reduce paperwork hassle. You’ve got until October 30, 2026, to share your thoughts—no fees or new costs involved!
2026-19996, Notice of Intended Repatriation: California State University, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA
California State University, Sacramento plans to return over 8,500 cultural items to Native American tribes connected to northern Tehama County. These items include stones, bones, pigments, and historic materials, and the repatriation can start on or after October 30, 2026. This move respects Native heritage and involves no cost to the public but honors important cultural ties.
2026-19002, National Park Service Alaska Region Subsistence Resource Commission Program; Notice of Public Meetings
The National Park Service is holding meetings for Alaska's Subsistence Resource Commissions to discuss local hunting, fishing, and gathering rules. These meetings affect residents who rely on park resources and will happen mostly in October and November 2026, with one in February 2027. No big costs are expected, but these talks help keep subsistence traditions alive and fair.
2026-18306, Official Trail Marker for Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail
This notice issues the official trail marker insignia for the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail in the National Trails System. The original graphic image for Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail was developed in 2026 with the completion of the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail Comprehensive Plan. The National Park Service and related agencies have officially adopted and use this insignia to help mark all designated alignments of the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-06644, Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL
The University of Florida’s Florida Museum of Natural History has finished checking its collection and found Native American human remains linked to the Seminole Tribe of Florida. These remains can be returned to the tribe starting May 19, 2025. This means the museum is ready to give back important ancestral items, respecting Native American heritage and culture.
Next: 2025-06646, Notice of Inventory Completion: University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA
The University of California, Riverside has finished checking and listing Native American human remains and related items found at an archaeological site in Riverside County. These remains and objects are linked to local Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian groups and will be returned to them starting May 19, 2025. This process helps protect and respect Native heritage without any cost to the public.