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The Repatriation Database Data from Nov. 29, 2023

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Parks Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Arts and Crafts Board · 182 subunits · Multiple locations · Read the institution’s response

The Dept. of the Interior has the 8th largest collection of unrepatriated Native American remains in the U.S. The institution reported still having the remains of at least 3,600 Native Americans that it has not made available for return to tribes.

The institution has made available for return 77% of the more than 15,800 Native American remains that it reported to the federal government.

remains of 12,149 Native Americans made available for return to tribes
remains of at least 3,672 Native Americans not made available for return

Where Native American remains reported by the Dept. of the Interior were taken from

Each county is a peak
Height is the minimum amount of remains taken from county, as reported by institution
Color is reported rate of remains made available for return to tribes
0%100%
Institution reported no remains taken from these counties
Location of institution
Swipe interaction icon
Note: The Dept. of the Interior reported remains of at least 290 Native Americans with no location information. 90% of these remains were made available for return to tribes.
Under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, when an institution establishes a connection between tribes and remains, it must publish a list of the tribes eligible to make a repatriation claim. The remains are then made available for return to the tribe(s). Once a tribal claim is made, physical transfer may occur. Many remains have been physically returned to tribes, but data on this is spotty because the law does not require institutions to report when these transfers occur.

Timeline of Native American remains made available for return to tribes by the Dept. of the Interior

Tribal and institutional capacity, funding, staffing, regulatory changes, audits, Review Committee decisions and litigation may influence timelines. Under NAGPRA, institutions determine whether Native American remains may be returned through cultural affiliation using evidence such as tribal traditional knowledge and biological and archaeological links, or through disposition based on geographic affiliation.

How the Dept. of the Interior compares to other institutions

The amount of Native American remains still held by institutions ranges widely.

The Dept. of the Interior made Native American remains available for return to 326 tribes.

Institutions often make remains available for return to multiple tribes, so the amount of remains listed below may be counted for more than one tribe.
TribeRemains Made Available for Return To
Hopi Tribe of Arizona7,839
Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico7,377
Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico4,000
Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico3,853
Pueblo of Taos, New Mexico3,701
Pueblo of Isleta, New Mexico3,315
Pueblo of Sandia, New Mexico3,297
Santo Domingo Pueblo3,278
Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah2,989
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo2,933
Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico2,845
Pueblo of Zia, New Mexico2,843
Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico2,801
Pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico2,798
Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico (formerly the Pueblo of San Juan)2,791
Pueblo of Nambe, New Mexico2,790
Pueblo of Tesuque, New Mexico2,790
Pueblo of Pojoaque, New Mexico2,783
Pueblo of Picuris, New Mexico2,761
Pueblo of Santa Ana, New Mexico2,390
Pueblo of Cochiti, New Mexico2,347
Pueblo of San Felipe, New Mexico2,340
Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona1,300
Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona1,298
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona1,297
Ak-Chin Indian Community1,296
Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico473
White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona473
Chickasaw Nation384
Cherokee Nation352
Comanche Nation, Oklahoma327
United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma310
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona307
Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe307
Gambell, Native Village of296
Nikolski, Native Village of261
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians248
Chaluka Corporation223
Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, Oklahoma219
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, Nevada218
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas208
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma197
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians197
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco and Tawakonie), Oklahoma197
Seminole Tribe of Florida187
Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico185
Miccosukee Tribe of Indians185
Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, Nevada180
San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona175
Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona162
Muscogee (Creek) Nation158
Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians of the Kaibab Indian Reservation, Arizona138
Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona135
Jena Band of Choctaw Indians133
Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe133
Hualapai Indian Tribe of the Hualapai Indian Reservation, Arizona131
Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana125
The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma123
Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota118
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation112
Santee Sioux Nation, Nebraska112
Apache Tribe of Oklahoma111
Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma110
Sun'aq Tribe of Kodiak109
San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe of Arizona107
Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma104
Savoonga, Native Village of97
Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor95
Kialegee Tribal Town94
Poarch Band of Creek Indians94
Thlopthlocco Tribal Town94
Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation90
Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana84
Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai Reservation, Arizona82
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe of the Crow Creek Reservation, South Dakota79
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South Dakota78
Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Dakota78
Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma76
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska76
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota71
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska70
Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska69
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma69
Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, Oklahoma69
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation, South Dakota69
Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska67
Delaware Nation, Oklahoma64
Kotzebue, Native Village of62
Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota60
Omaha Tribe of Nebraska60
Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah60
Prairie Island Indian Community in the State of Minnesota60
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota60
Upper Sioux Community, Minnesota60
Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians of the Las Vegas Indian Colony, Nevada57
Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada57
Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada57
Klamath Tribes55
Timbisha Shoshone Tribe55
Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin54
Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming54
Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming53
Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Campo Indian Reservation, California51
Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California51
Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, California51
Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, California51
Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja and Cosmit Reservation, California51
Jamul Indian Village of California51
La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the La Posta Indian Reservation, California51
Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Manzanita Reservation, California51
Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Mesa Grande Reservation, California51
San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California51
Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation51
Crow Tribe of Montana49
Koniag, Inc.49
Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma48
Old Harbor Native Corporation48
Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin48
Piro-Manso-Tiwa Tribe46
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana43
Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Utah42
Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government, Native Village of40
Burns Paiute Tribe40
Nelson Lagoon, Native Village of40
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota39
Ouzinkie, Native Village of39
Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota38
Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes of the Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, Nevada and Oregon37
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Lower Brule Reservation, South Dakota37
Oglala Sioux Tribe37
Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Montana36
Quapaw Nation36
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation34
Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley33
Bishop Paiute Tribe33
Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon33
Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe33
Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska33
Sac and Fox Nation, Oklahoma33
Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa33
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe33
Larsen Bay, Native Village of32
Spirit Lake Tribe, North Dakota32
Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington30
Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Utah29
Ely Shoshone Tribe of Nevada29
Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation29
Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada28
Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the Yomba Reservation, Nevada28
Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the Duckwater Reservation, Nevada26
Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin26
Chignik Bay Tribal Council25
Chignik Lagoon, Native Village of25
Chignik Lake Village25
Ivanof Bay Tribe25
King Salmon Tribe25
Naknek Native Village25
Perryville, Native Village of25
Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California25
Seneca Nation of Indians25
Seneca-Cayuga Nation25
Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians of Utah25
South Naknek Village25
Tonawanda Band of Seneca25
Southern Ute Indian Tribe of the Southern Ute Reservation, Colorado24
Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas23
Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma23
Delaware Tribe of Indians22
Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota22
Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation22
Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma21
Kaktovik Village (aka Barter Island)21
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma20
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation20
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation20
Modoc Nation20
Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona20
Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation20
Maui/Lanai Island Burial Council18
Ounalashka Corporation18
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon17
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon17
Teller, Native Village of17
Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribes16
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation16
Cowlitz Indian Tribe16
Kaw Nation, Oklahoma16
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe16
Nisqually Indian Tribe16
Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation16
Snoqualmie Indian Tribe16
Snoqualmoo Tribe16
Wanapum Band16
Lower Elwha Tribal Community15
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe14
Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe14
Samish Indian Nation14
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community14
Tulalip Tribes of Washington14
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota14
Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma13
Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point Village13
Shawnee Tribe13
Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove12
Belkofski, Native Village of12
Pauloff Harbor Village12
Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, California and Arizona12
Unga, Native Village of12
Ambler, Native Village of11
Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana11
Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians11
Lovelock Paiute Tribe of the Lovelock Indian Colony, Nevada11
Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California11
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan11
Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, California11
Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, California11
Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians of California11
Walker River Paiute Tribe of the Walker River Reservation, Nevada11
Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians of the Fort Independence Reservation, California10
Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California10
Santa Rosa Indian Community of the Santa Rosa Rancheria, California10
Table Mountain Rancheria10
Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation, California10
Atka, Native Village of9
Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana9
Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians9
Mi'kmaq Nation9
Passamaquoddy Tribe of Maine9
Penobscot Nation9
Summit Lake Paiute Tribe of Nevada9
Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians of the Tuolumne Rancheria of California9
Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony and Campbell Ranch, Nevada9
Bridgeport Indian Colony7
Hui Malama I Na Kupuna O Hawai'i Nei7
Kenaitze Indian Tribe7
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas7
Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation7
Native Hawaiian Organizations7
Port Lions, Native Village of7
Akhiok, Native Village of6
Caddo Nation of Oklahoma6
Karluk, Native Village of6
Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Nevada6
Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada6
Big Sandy Rancheria of Western Mono Indians of California5
Catawba Indian Nation5
Cold Springs Rancheria of Mono Indians of California5
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation5
Nez Perce Tribe5
Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California5
Office of Hawaiian Affairs5
Seldovia Village Tribe5
Shaktoolik, Native Village of5
Tejon Indian Tribe5
Utu Utu Gwaitu Paiute Tribe of the Benton Paiute Reservation, California5
Aleut Corporation4
Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California4
California Valley Miwok Tribe, California4
Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians of California4
Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota4
Ione Band of Miwok Indians of California4
Jackson Band of Miwuk Indians4
Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council4
Pit River Tribe, California4
Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, Shingle Springs Rancheria (Verona Tract), California4
Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)4
Wilton Rancheria, California4
Atxam Corporation3
Hoonah Indian Association3
Hooper Bay, Native Village of3
King Island Native Community3
Monacan Indian Tribe3
Nulato Village3
Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma3
Unalakleet, Native Village of3
Alturas Indian Rancheria, California2
Assonet Band of the Wampanoag Nation2
Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians of the Bad River Reservation, Wisconsin2
Brevig Mission, Native Village of2
Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian Community of the Colusa Rancheria, California2
Chinik Eskimo Community (Golovin)2
Chippewa Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana2
Colorado River Indian Tribes of the Colorado River Indian Reservation, Arizona and California2
Council, Native Village of2
Diomede (aka Inalik), Native Village of2
Eagle, Native Village of2
Elim, Native Village of2
Fond du Lac Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota2
Fort Bidwell Indian Community of the Fort Bidwell Reservation of California2
Fort Mojave Indian Tribe of Arizona, California and Nevada2
Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Michigan2
Kiana, Native Village of2
Kletsel Dehe Wintun of the Cortina Rancheria2
Koyuk, Native Village of2
Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin2
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan2
Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of the Lac du Flambeau Reservation of Wisconsin2
Lineal Descendant2
Mary's Igloo, Native Village of2
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe2
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota2
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin2
Shishmaref, Native Village of2
Solomon, Village of2
St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin2
St. Michael, Native Village of2
Stebbins Community Association2
Wales, Native Village of2
White Mountain, Native Village of2
Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, California2
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, California1
Anaktuvak Pass, Village of1
Cocopah Tribe of Arizona1
Coeur D'Alene Tribe1
False Pass, Native Village of1
Galena Village (aka Louden Village)1
Goodnews Bay, Native Village of1
Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel Reservation1
McGrath Native Village1
Mekoryuk, Native Village of1
Miami Tribe of Oklahoma1
Noatak, Native Village of1
Nuiqsut, Native Village of (aka Nooiksut)1
Osage Nation1
Sitka Tribe of Alaska1
White Earth Band of Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota1

The Dept. of the Interior reported Native American remains from 182 sub-institutions.

Sub-institutionRemains Not Made Available for ReturnRemains Made Available for Return% of Remains Made Available for Return
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BIA1,1092,60770%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Alaska State Office75991455%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Utah State Office2196924%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge17800%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge13800%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Hopewell Culture NHP13400%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, New Mexico State Office13038175%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Mammoth Cave NP12300%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge11400%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery10000%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Navajo NM8500%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Southeast Archeological Center8256%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Buffalo National River8200%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge6800%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Amistad NRA6000%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Great Plains Region, Nebraska-Kansas Area Office563941%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Ocmulgee Mounds NHP558059%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Big South Fork NRRA2500%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Wyoming State Office1716%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Jean Lafitte NHP and PRES1616%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge1600%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge1500%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge1317%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Illinois River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge1000%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Yosemite NP5117%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region42888%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Colonial NHP4343%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife Refuge400%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Ozark National Scenic Riverways400%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Nevada State Office35295%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge300%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge300%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Lahontan National Fish Hatchery300%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge300%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge300%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Voyageurs NP300%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Great Plains Region, Wyoming Area Office300%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, White River National Wildlife Refuge200%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Cuyahoga Valley NP200%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Anasazi Heritage Center1431100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge114199%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Big Cypress N PRES11895%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Yellowstone NP1480%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Lake Mead NRA1150%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Savannah National Wildlife Refuge100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Fort Frederica NM100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Fort Matanzas NM100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Lewis and Clark NHP100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Great Plains Region, Montana Area Office100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Lower Colorado Region100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Mesa Verde NP01,560100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Salinas Pueblo Missions NM0936100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Lower Colorado Region, Phoenix Area Office0492100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Natchez Trace Parkway0490100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region, Western Colorado Area Office0398100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Canyon de Chelly NM0302100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Alaska Region0295100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Wupatki NM0282100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Chaco Culture NHP0267100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Pecos NHP0160100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Upper Colorado Region0148100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Montezuma Castle NM0140100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Aztec Ruins NM0127100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Tuzigoot NM098100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Lake Roosevelt NRA094100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, San Juan Island NHP090100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Great Plains Region, Oklahoma-Texas Area Office084100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Arizona State Office076100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Casa Grande Ruins NM071100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Effigy Mounds NM070100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, California State Office065100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Walnut Canyon NM060100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Western Archeological and Conservation Center056100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Lake Meredith NRA048100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Gila Cliff Dwellings NM047100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Bandelier NM044100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Delaware Water Gap NRA042100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge035100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Grand Canyon NP033100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Tumacacori NHP033100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Everglades NP032100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Death Valley NP028100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex027100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, National Eagle and Wildlife Property Repository025100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Canaveral NS025100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Katmai NP & PRES025100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BIA, Great Plains Regional Office021100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Great Basin NP021100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex020100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, El Morro NM020100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge019100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Haleakala NP018100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Lava Beds NM018100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Fort Vancouver NHS017100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge015100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Glen Canyon NRA015100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Gulf Islands NS015100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Petrified Forest NP015100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Oregon State Office014100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Great Plains Region, Dakotas Area Office014100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Knife River Indian Villages NHS013100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region013100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Alibates Flint Quarries NM011100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Joshua Tree NP011100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Scotts Bluff NM011100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Zion NP011100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Casper Field Office010100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Valley Stream, Resident Agent in Charge Office010100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Channel Islands NP010100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Guadalupe Mountains NP010100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Russell Cave NM010100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Tonto NM010100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Acadia NP09100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Dinosaur NM08100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Hubbell Trading Post NHS08100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Natural Bridges NM08100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge07100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Agate Fossil Beds NM + Scotts Bluff NM (joint notice)07100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Big Bend NP07100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Fort Union Trading Post NHS07100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Idaho State Office06100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Castillo de San Marcos NM06100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Saguaro NP06100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Statue of Liberty NM06100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Agate Fossil Beds NM05100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, De Soto NM05100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Hovenweep NM05100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Pu'uhonua o Honaunau NHP05100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks05100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Cumberland Gap NHP04100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Fort Union NM04100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Lassen Volcanic NP04100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Pipe Spring NM04100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Spokane District Office03100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Carlsbad Caverns NP03100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Fort Bowie NHS03100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Glacier Bay NP & PRES03100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Great Sand Dunes NP03100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Intermountain Region03100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Little Bighorn Battlefield NM03100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Organ Pipe Cactus NM03100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Grand Junction Field Office02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Idaho State Office, Cottonwood District02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, White River Field Office02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Bismarck Field Office02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Bents Old Fort NHS02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Canyonlands NP02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Cape Cod NS02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Chickasaw NRA02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Grand Portage NM02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Isle Royale NP02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Kaloko-Honokohau NHP02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Whitman Mission NHS02100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Colorado State Office01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Prineville District01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, San Luis Field Office01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, BLM, Vernal Field Office01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Laguna Atacosa National Wildlife Refuge01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Southwest Regional Office01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, FWS, Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Museum of Plains Indian and Crafts Center01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Sioux Indian Museum and Crafts Center01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Southern Plains Indian Museum and Crafts Center01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Badlands NP01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Big Hole NB01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Capitol Reef NP01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Grant-Kohrs Ranch NHS01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Noatak N PRES01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Olympic NP01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Rocky Mountain NP01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, NPS, Sitka NHP01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Great Plains Region, Eastern Colorado Area Office01100%
U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region, Columbia-Cascades Area Office01100%

The Dept. of the Interior reported making 93% of more than 179,900 associated funerary objects available for return to tribes.

The funerary objects were taken along with Native American remains reported by the institution.
167,763 associated funerary objects made available for return to tribes
at least 12,198 associated funerary objects not made available for return

The Dept. of the Interior’s response:

The program complies with each of its legal obligations under existing regulations, subject to available funding. Under the current regulations, the bureaus are not required to consult or repatriate "culturally unidentifiable human remains" unless requested by a Tribe or Native Hawaiian Organization. The Biden-Harris administration prioritizes repatriation, and the Department hopes that its proposed regulatory revisions to NAGPRA will help to address the existing backlog.

— Dept. of the Interior spokeperson
More from The Repatriation Project
1
America’s Biggest Museums Fail to Return Native American Human Remains
2
The Museum Built on Native American Burial Mounds
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Behind ProPublica’s Reporting on Repatriation
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About the Data

This tool presents a dataset maintained by the National Park Service containing all the Native American human remains and associated funerary objects that institutions have reported to the federal government under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The dataset includes information about the state and county where remains and objects were taken from, which institutions hold them and whether they have been made available for return to tribes.

The data is self-reported by institutions. The amount of unrepatriated Native American remains reported by institutions is a minimum estimate of individuals and institutions frequently adjust these numbers when they reinventory groups of remains. Some institutions that are subject to NAGPRA have also entirely failed to report the remains in their possession. As a result, the numbers provided are best taken as estimates. The actual number and geographic scope of what’s held by publicly funded institutions is larger than what is presently documented.

ProPublica supplemented this dataset with information about cultural affiliation and disposition to specific tribes by systematically parsing the text of Notices of Inventory Completion published in the Federal Register. An additional dataset from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Tribal Directory Assessment Tool, was used for the section on remains not made available for return from counties that each tribe has indicated interest in to the federal government.

Institution location and tribal headquarters location information was provided by National NAGPRA. The location of some groups that are not federally recognized was provided through research by ProPublica.

Institutions that are part of a larger entity are grouped. (For example, the Mesa Verde National Park is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.)

Institutions that have not submitted information to the federal government are not listed. The Smithsonian Institution is not listed because its repatriation process falls under the National Museum of the American Indian Act and it is not required to publicly report its holdings with the same detail as institutions subject to NAGPRA.

If you work for an institution and would like to provide comment on your institution’s repatriation efforts, please email [email protected]. If you think the data is incorrect or have a data request, please get in touch. We are aware of some issues with the accuracy of location information and tribes mistakenly being identified for disposition of Native American remains in published notices.

If you want to share something else with ProPublica, we’d like to hear from you.

If you have questions about implementing or complying with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, get in touch with National NAGPRA or the NAGPRA Community of Practice.

We use the word “tribes” to refer to all groups that institutions made Native American remains available to under NAGPRA. This includes tribes, nations, bands, pueblos, communities, Native Alaskan villages, Native Hawaiian organizations and non-federally recognized groups.

Data sources from Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National NAGPRA Program, the Federal Register, Department of Housing and Development, Tribal Directory Assessment Tool

by Ash Ngu and Andrea Suozzo Additional reporting by Asia Fields, Mary Hudetz and Logan Jaffe for ProPublica and Graham Brewer for NBC News. Additional development by Alec Glassford.