Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Notice

Strategic Insights -

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law that requires federal agencies and museums to repatriate Native American human remains and cultural items to their communities. The Office of the Federal Register has issued a notice regarding the Heard Museum's completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, which have been determined to be culturally affiliated with the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. The repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects may occur on or after August 29, 2025.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Heard Museum has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, which have been determined to have a cultural affiliation with the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.
  • The repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects may occur on or after August 29, 2025.
  • Written requests for repatriation must be sent to the authorized representative, David Roche, Heard Museum, by August 29, 2025.
  • The Heard Museum is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and any other consulting parties.
  • The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10, provide the authority for this notice.
  • The Heard Museum has determined that the human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of four individuals of Native American ancestry.
  • The one object described in this notice is reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite or ceremony.

Statistics:

  • The human remains described in this notice represent the physical remains of four individuals of Native American ancestry.
  • One associated funerary object, a rectangular gray stone, is present.
  • The human remains and associated funerary objects were acquired in circumstances and date unknown.
  • The Heard Museum accessioned the human remains and associated funerary objects in 1991 and 1991, respectively.
  • Prior consultation in 1995, 2002, and 2013 did not identify cultural affiliation.
  • Consultation in 2002 identified red ochre and a geographic location of the Plains with water.

Sources:

  • (NAGPRA) Notice, printed page 35923.
  • The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.