Michigan U. to Repatriate Native Artifacts: Heritage Handover
Published Date: 8/20/2025
Notice
Summary
The University of Michigan is planning to return some Native American cultural items that are connected to certain tribes and Native Hawaiian groups. This is part of a law that helps protect and respect Native heritage. The process will happen soon, making sure these important objects go back to their rightful communities without any cost to them.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
University returns Native items under NAGPRA
The University of Michigan intends to return certain unassociated funerary objects to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations named in this notice under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). If you are a member of one of those Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, those cultural items will be repatriated to your community and returned without cost to your group.
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-15848, Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington State Office, Prineville District Office, Prineville, OR
The Bureau of Land Management in Oregon has finished checking and listing Native American human remains found on their land. They’ve identified which tribes or Native Hawaiian groups these remains belong to, following important laws that protect Native heritage. This means the remains will be returned to the right communities, respecting their culture and history—no money changes hands, but the timing for these returns is now official.
Next: 2025-15850, Notice of Inventory Completion: The Newark Museum of Art, Newark, NJ
The Newark Museum of Art has finished checking its collection and found that some human remains and funeral items belong to Native American tribes or Native Hawaiian groups. This means these items will be officially returned to the right communities. If you’re part of these groups, now’s the time to connect with the museum to learn more or claim these important cultural items.