Indy Art Museum to Repatriate Native Cultural Patrimony Items
Published Date: 9/16/2026
Notice
Summary
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meets the definition of an object of cultural patrimony and that has a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Repatriation of Cheyenne-Arapaho Moccasins
The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields intends to repatriate one object of cultural patrimony: a pair of moccasins that the museum connects to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma. The moccasins were obtained in Montana by Mrs. Valette Miller White prior to 1936, and repatriation may occur on or after October 16, 2026.
Who May Request Repatriation
Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not named in this notice may send a written request for repatriation if they show by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or culturally affiliated. The museum must accept such requests and may repatriate the item on or after October 16, 2026, after resolving any competing claims.
Museum Must Resolve Competing Claims
If more than one eligible requester asks for the same item, the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields must determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriating the moccasins. Requests for joint repatriation count as a single request.
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-18968, Notice of Inventory Completion: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Indiana University has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
Next: 2026-18970, Notice of Intended Repatriation: Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, Indianapolis, IN
The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields plans to return four important Native American cultural items—a pipe bag, two pairs of moccasins, and a rattle—to the Northern Arapaho Tribe. These items, collected long ago, hold deep cultural meaning and will be repatriated starting October 16, 2026. This respectful move honors Native traditions and strengthens ties with the tribe, with no money involved.