The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in New York has completed an inventory under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and found a cultural connection between two sets of human remains and accompanying artifacts and the Tonawanda Band of Seneca. These items, collected from areas around the refuge, include objects like a pipe stem and ceramic fragment. Repatriation—to return these items to the appropriate Native American group—can happen after February 18, 2025. Anyone with a cultural connection or who can prove descent may request repatriation.
Simple Explanation
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has found out that some old bones and things from the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge belong to the Tonawanda Band of Seneca people, and they plan to give them back. This returning of items can start after February 18, 2025, and people who are related can ask for them.