History Colorado to Repatriate Sacred Native American Cultural Items
Published Date: 8/13/2026
Notice
Summary
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), History Colorado intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred objects/ objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation of 15 Sacred Items
History Colorado intends to return 15 sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony that are culturally affiliated with the Oglala Sioux Tribe. The items include a beaded pouch, a buckskin shirt, an eagle bone whistle, a headdress, pipes, tomahawks, and other ceremonial objects. Repatriation may occur on or after September 14, 2026.
Who Can Request Repatriation
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization may submit a written request for repatriation by showing, by a preponderance of the evidence, their relationship. If competing requests are received, History Colorado must decide the most appropriate requestor; joint requests are treated as a single request. Requests should be sent to the authorized representative listed in the notice.
Potential Contamination of Objects
Several objects in the Olop Collection have tested positive for contamination and heavy metals, and other items stored with them should be considered potentially contaminated. Handlers and requestors should treat those cultural items as potentially contaminated due to their shared storage history.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-16486, Notice of Intended Repatriation: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Mesa Verde National Park, CO
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Mesa Verde National Park intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Next: 2026-16488, Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore, St. Marys, GA
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore has completed an inventory of human remains and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.