Peabody Essex Museum Updates Inventory for Native American Item Repatriation
Published Date: 12/16/2025
Notice
Summary
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA, has finished checking some old burial items linked to Native Hawaiian groups. Starting January 15, 2026, these items can be officially returned to the right communities. This means respect and care for Native cultures are moving forward, with no costs or risks involved.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Three Burial Kapa Eligible for Repatriation
The Peabody Essex Museum has identified three associated funerary objects (fragments of dark brown patterned burial kapa) as culturally affiliated with Hui Iwi Kuamo'o. These three objects may be returned to the affiliated Native Hawaiian organization or other eligible parties on or after January 15, 2026.
Who May Request Repatriation and How
Requests to receive the associated funerary objects may be submitted by any of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in the notice, or by a lineal descendant, tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization that shows by a preponderance of the evidence a cultural affiliation. If competing requests are received, the Peabody Essex Museum must decide the most appropriate requestor before repatriation; joint requests count as a single request.
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