The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National Forest plans to transfer human remains and funerary objects found on federal or tribal lands to their rightful descendants or associated Native American tribes. This action is in line with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Claims for these items can be made until March 18, 2026, and if competing claims arise, the Gila National Forest must decide the most suitable claimant. Priority for disposition has been given to tribes such as the Hopi Tribe of Arizona, Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico, and the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico.
Simple Explanation
The government is planning to give back bones and special items belonging to Native American tribes to their families, following a law that helps protect such artifacts. They will carefully decide who gets these items if more than one group asks for them.