Indiana University Completes Human Remains Inventory for Tribal Repatriation
Published Date: 10/22/2026
Notice
Summary
Indiana University has finished checking its collection of Native American human remains and related items, confirming they belong to specific tribes. Starting November 23, 2026, these remains and objects can be returned to the tribes. This process respects Native American heritage and involves no costs or hazards.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Tribes and descendants may request repatriation
If you are a member of one of the named tribes or a lineal descendant, you may submit a written request to receive repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects starting on or after November 23, 2026. Indiana University says the collections include human remains representing 52 individuals and 31 associated funerary objects; written requests should be sent to Dr. Jayne-Leigh Thomas, Office of NAGPRA, Indiana University (Student Building 318, 701 E Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405; thomajay@iu.edu).
Specific tribes identified as affiliated
Indiana University determined a cultural affiliation between the described human remains and these named tribes: Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Citizen Potawatomi Nation (Oklahoma); Forest County Potawatomi Community (Wisconsin); Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska; Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi; Miami Tribe of Oklahoma; Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (Mille Lacs Band); Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (Michigan); Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians (Michigan and Indiana); Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; and the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa.
How competing repatriation claims are handled
If more than one party requests repatriation of these remains or objects, Indiana University must determine which requestor is the most appropriate before repatriation; requests submitted jointly are treated as a single (non-competing) request. Repatriation to an approved requestor may occur on or after November 23, 2026.
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