Placer County to Return Sacred Bow and Arrows to Maidu Tribe
Published Date: 12/17/2025
Notice
Summary
The Placer County Museums Division in Auburn, CA, plans to return four special cultural items—a bow and three arrows—to the Southern Maidu (Nisenan) tribe starting January 16, 2026. These items were donated in 1986 and hold deep cultural meaning. This repatriation honors Native American heritage and involves no costs or risks to the museum.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Museum to Return Bow and Three Arrows
The Placer County Museums Division plans to return one bow and three arrows (object numbers 1986.67.318.1–.4) to the Southern Maidu (Nisenan). The repatriation may occur on or after January 16, 2026, and the items were donated to the museum in 1986.
Museum Finds Items Are Cultural Patrimony
The Placer County Museums Division determined the four objects have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the Southern Maidu (Nisenan). The notice also states there is a connection between the items and the United Auburn Indian Community of the Auburn Rancheria of California.
Who May Request Repatriation and Process
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request for these items if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or are culturally affiliated. Requests must be sent to Bryanna Ryan at Placer County Museums Division and repatriation may occur on or after January 16, 2026; if there are competing requests, the museum will decide the most appropriate requestor.
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.
2026-11850 — Agency Information Collection Activities; National Park Service Concessions Forms
The National Park Service is updating its forms for businesses that run services inside parks, like gift shops and food stands. These changes make it easier for companies to apply and keep things running smoothly, with no extra costs or delays expected. If you work with park concessions, keep an eye out for new form rules coming soon!
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.
2026-11231 — 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: 2025-23039 — Notice of Inventory Completion: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, CA
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has finished checking its collection and found human remains and over 20,000 related items connected to Native American tribes. Starting January 16, 2026, these remains and objects can be returned to the tribes that they belong to. If you want to claim any of these items, you need to contact the museum soon!
Next: 2025-23041 — Notice of Inventory Completion: The University of Tennessee, Department of Anthropology, Knoxville, TN
The University of Tennessee’s Anthropology Department has finished checking and listing Native American human remains and artifacts found in Tennessee. These remains and objects, linked to local tribes, are ready to be returned starting January 16, 2026. This means important cultural items will soon go back to their rightful communities, with no cost to the public.