NAGPRA Inventory Completion: Florida Department of State Identifies Culturally Affiliated Human Remains and Funerary Objects

The Florida Department of State (FDOS) has completed a formal inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects as mandated by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). This federal law requires institutions that receive federal funding to inventory Native American cultural items in their collections and notify affiliated tribes. Following the inventory, FDOS has determined that a cultural affiliation exists between the inventoried human remains and associated funerary objects and one or more federally recognized Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. This determination triggers legal obligations under NAGPRA regarding notification and potential repatriation. The notice published on April 2, 2026 formally announces the completion of this inventory process, which is a prerequisite for initiating the repatriation process. Affiliated tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations now have the right to request the transfer of these remains and objects back to their communities. This action is part of the broader federal framework under NAGPRA to address the historical removal of Native American ancestral remains and sacred objects from their communities, ensuring their return to lineal descendants or culturally affiliated tribes.

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