University Prepares Native Remains for Tribal Return
Published Date: 7/15/2026
Notice
Summary
The University of Tennessee’s Anthropology Department has finished checking their collection and found 16 Native American human remains and 3 related objects from Nebraska. These items are ready to be returned to the right tribes starting August 14, 2026. This means important cultural treasures will soon go back home, with no costs or risks involved.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation Available to Two Tribes
If you are a member or representative of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma or the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, the University of Tennessee has determined that 16 Native American human remains and 3 associated funerary objects are culturally affiliated with your tribes and may be repatriated on or after August 14, 2026.
Who May Request Repatriation
Any one or more of the Indian Tribes named in the notice may request repatriation. Also, any lineal descendant or Indian Tribe not named may submit a request if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or have a cultural affiliation; competing requests require UTK to determine the most appropriate requestor.
No Record of Hazardous Treatment
The University of Tennessee reports it has no record that these human remains or associated funerary objects were treated with potentially hazardous substances, which indicates no documented contamination-related hazard for repatriation.
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