Federal Register #2026-05962

Notice of Intended Repatriation of Cultural Items by the University of Maine, Orono, ME

This notice announces the intended repatriation of 184 cultural items by the University of Maine, Orono, under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). - Government Buyer: - National Park Service, Department of the Interior - University of Maine, Orono, ME (holder of items) - No OEMs or commercial vendors are involved; this is not a procurement or solicitation for goods or services - Items to be repatriated: - 184 unassociated funerary objects - Includes artifacts, soil and ocher samples, and plaster casts - Cultural affiliations: - Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians - Mikmaq Nation (previously Aroostook Band of Micmacs) - Passamaquoddy Tribe - Penobscot Nation - Unique requirements: - Notice outlines process for lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations to request repatriation - Compliance with federal law (NAGPRA) - No products or services are being procured; this is an administrative action related to cultural heritage

Description

The University of Maine, Orono, intends to repatriate 184 cultural items classified as unassociated funerary objects under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). These items include artifacts, soil and ocher samples, and plaster casts, with cultural affiliations to the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Mikmaq Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribe, and Penobscot Nation. The repatriation may occur on or after April 27, 2026, and requests for repatriation can be submitted by lineal descendants or affiliated Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations.

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