Interior and Arizona Museum Arrange Return of Ancestral Remains
Published Date: 10/22/2026
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Department of the Interior and the Museum of Northern Arizona have finished checking old Native American human remains and artifacts. They found a clear connection to certain tribes and plan to return these items starting November 23, 2026. This helps honor Native cultures and follows important laws about respecting their ancestors.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
139 Native American Remains Identified
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) counted human remains representing 139 Native American individuals and 2,222 associated funerary objects that are culturally affiliated with the Navajo Nation (Arizona, New Mexico, & Utah). These remains and objects come from many Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) sites in northern Arizona and surrounding areas and are identified for repatriation.
Who Can Request Repatriation
Repatriation requests may be submitted by any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in the notice, or by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not identified who shows by a preponderance of the evidence that they are a lineal descendant or have cultural affiliation. If competing requests are received, the BIA must determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation; joint requests are considered a single request.
Repatriation May Begin November 23, 2026
The notice states repatriation of the listed human remains and associated funerary objects may occur on or after November 23, 2026. Written requests for repatriation must be sent to the BIA representative named in the notice.
Hazardous-Substance Treatment Noted on Some Remains
The notice reports that potentially hazardous substances are present on multiple individuals; where present, those remains were treated with polyvinyl acetate (PVA) dissolved in ethyl alcohol applied directly to the bones. This information is recorded for many specific site inventories described in the notice.
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