1874 Battle Remains Head Back to Plains Tribes from Kansas
Published Date: 9/30/2026
Notice
Summary
The Kansas State Historical Society has finished checking and identifying two Native American human remains linked to the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kaw, and Kiowa Tribes. These remains, connected to the 1874 Battle of Adobe Walls, can be returned to the tribes starting October 30, 2026. This means the tribes can soon reclaim their ancestors, with no costs mentioned for the process.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Two Native American Remains Identified
The Kansas State Historical Society identified human remains representing two Native American individuals. The remains are culturally affiliated with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes (Oklahoma), Kaw Nation (Oklahoma), and the Kiowa Tribe (previously listed as Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma).
Repatriation Allowed Starting October 30, 2026
Repatriation of these human remains may occur on or after October 30, 2026. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by any one or more of the named Indian Tribes, by a lineal descendant, or by another Tribe or organization that shows by a preponderance of the evidence that it has cultural affiliation; competing requests will be resolved by KSHS.
Condition and Provenance Details Noted
The remains have no associated funerary objects and were transferred to KSHS from the Fellow-Reeve Museum at Friends University on March 20, 1990. The remains are said to be from the second Battle of Adobe Walls (1874); the skull shows apparent varnish and, to the KSHS's knowledge, no hazardous substances are present.
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