Kodiak Island artifacts set to leave Maine museum under NAGPRA

Ten Alaska Native cultural objects held at the Hudson Museum of the University of Maine are set for repatriation after a federal claim window closes July 4, 2026. Alaska Native tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations with competing claims have until that date to come forward before transfer of control may proceed.

The National Park Service published the repatriation notice under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The 30-day window gives Alaska Native tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations with competing claims a concrete deadline. After that date, according to the Federal Register notice, "transfer of control of the cultural items may proceed."

The objects are classified as cultural patrimony under NAGPRA. The Federal Register notice lists a wooden hunting hat, a model kayak, a drum, and a wooden box among the 10 items. The notice states the objects originated from Kodiak Island and other locations in Alaska. The notice does not specify which individual items came from Kodiak Island and which came from other Alaska locations.

The Hudson Museum has been engaged in NAGPRA-related repatriation activity before this notice. A Federal Register notice from March 2023 shows the museum filed a prior repatriation action, indicating a longer pattern of compliance work at the institution. A separate National Park Service repatriation notice has also been issued involving the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and Alaska-related cultural items. Full details of that notice were not available at publication.