Connecticut Institute to Return Sacred Items to Tribes
Published Date: 5/16/2025
Notice
Summary
The Institute for American Indian Studies in Connecticut is planning to return important cultural items to Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian groups. This move respects their heritage and follows the law protecting Native artifacts. The repatriation will happen soon, honoring the tribes' connection to these special objects without any cost to them.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Museum Returning Cultural Patrimony
The Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, Connecticut intends to return cultural items that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony and have a cultural affiliation with certain Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. The return is being done in accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), will occur soon, and will be provided to the tribes and organizations without any cost to them.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this federal register document and every other regulation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions 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.
2026-11700 — Notice of Inventory Completion: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
The American Museum of Natural History has finished checking its collection and found human remains and a bone tool linked to Native American tribes. Starting July 13, 2026, these items can be returned to the tribes that they belong to. If you want to request the return, you can contact the museum directly—just a heads-up, some items might need careful handling due to past pesticide use.
2026-11701 — Notice of Intended Repatriation: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
The American Museum of Natural History plans to return five Native Hawaiian cultural items, like stone tools, that were taken from burial sites on Oʻahu back in 1938. This repatriation will start on or after July 13, 2026, giving Native Hawaiian groups a chance to reclaim their heritage. No money changes hands, but it’s a big step in respecting and restoring Native Hawaiian history.
2026-11238 — Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
The University of Michigan has finished checking its collection and found Native American ancestral remains from a historic site in Michigan. These remains can be returned to the affiliated tribes starting July 6, 2026. This means the university is ready to give back these important cultural items, following the law, with no costs or risks involved.
2026-11232 — Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
The University of California, Berkeley plans to return four important cultural items—two baskets and two charmstones—to Native American tribes connected to them. This repatriation will start on or after July 6, 2026, honoring the tribes’ heritage and history. No money changes hands, but the university is making sure these treasures go back to their rightful communities.
2026-11231 — Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
The University of California, Berkeley plans to return 24 important Native American cultural items, like beans and corn seeds, to the tribes they belong to starting July 6, 2026. These items were collected in the 1940s and hold special cultural meaning. This repatriation respects Native traditions and helps heal history without any cost to the public.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-08780 — Notice of Inventory Completion: South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, Columbia, SC; South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, Columbia, SC; South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, SC; U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, Hardeeville, SC, and Santee National Wildlife Refuge, Summerton, SC; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Research Laboratories of Archaeology, Chapel Hill, NC; and Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT
Several museums and wildlife refuges in South Carolina and beyond have finished checking their collections and found Native American human remains and burial items that belong to specific tribes. This means these items will be officially returned to the right Native communities, following important laws that protect Native heritage. No money changes hands, but the process honors history and culture with respect and care.
Next: 2025-08782 — Subject 60-Day Notice for the 2025 Final Descriptive Report Update; Proposed Collection; Comment Request
The National Endowment for the Arts wants your thoughts on updating their 2025 report forms for grant winners. They’re making sure the paperwork is easy, clear, and not too time-consuming. If you’re involved with NEA grants, now’s the time to share your feedback before the final forms are set!