The National Park Service plans to return human remains and associated funerary objects collected from the Mink Island Site in Alaska to their rightful descendants as specified by the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). These remains and items were obtained through archaeological efforts and natural erosion processes. The objects, including tools and carved items, have been linked to at least twelve Native American individuals. Disposition is set to occur after April 17, 2025, with claims for these remains encouraged by March 18, 2026, from eligible lineal descendants or tribes.
Simple Explanation
The National Park Service is giving back special items and bones found on an island in Alaska to the families or tribes they belong to, according to a law that makes sure such things are returned to Native Americans. They'll start doing this after April 2025, and families or tribes can ask for their things back until March 2026.