Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Nebraska State Museum intends to repatriate a certain cultural item tha...
In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the University of Nebraska State Museum intends to repatriate a certain cultural item that meet the definition of a sacred object and that has a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.
DATES:
Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice may occur on or after October 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural item in this notice to Taylor Ronquillo, NAGPRA Program Manager, University of Nebraska State Museum, Morrill Hall, 645 N 14th Street, Lincoln, NE 68588, email
tronquillo2@unl.edu
and Susan Weller, NAGPRA Coordinator, University of Nebraska State Museum, Morrill Hall, 645 N 14th Street, Lincoln, NE 68588, email
sweller2@unl.edu.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the University of Nebraska State Museum, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
Abstract of Information Available
A total of one cultural item has been requested for repatriation. The one sacred object is a gold tin filled with two preserved corn cobs and two packets of tobacco tied with twine. Barbara Salvatore gifted the tin with its contents to Dr. Mark Awakuni-Swetland, Associate Professor of Anthropology, in 2008. UNL Archives and Special Collections received the corn as part of the Awakuni-Swetland papers, transferred to the University Archives by Swetland's wife, Donna Swetland, after his death.
Determinations
The University of Nebraska State Museum has determined that:
The one sacred object described in this notice is a specific ceremonial object needed by a traditional Native American religious leader for present-day adherents to practice traditional Native American religion, according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization.
There is a connection between the cultural item described in this notice and the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska.
Requests for Repatriation
Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural item in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified in this notice under
ADDRESSES
. Requests for repatriation may be submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice to a requestor may occur on or after October 16, 2026. If competing requests for repatriation are received, the University of Nebraska State Museum must determine the most appropriate requestor before repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural item are considered a single request and not competing requests. The University of Nebraska State Museum is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this notice and to any other consulting parties.
Authority:
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.
Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.
91 FR 58695
Web Citation
Suggested Web Citation
Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.
“Notice of Intended Repatriation: University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, NE,” thefederalregister.org (September 16, 2026), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2026-18975/notice-of-intended-repatriation-university-of-nebraska-state-museum-lincoln-ne.
25 U.S.C. 3004
43 CFR 10.9