The National Park Service, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, plans to return human remains found at Luna Moth Rockshelter in Scott County, Tennessee, to their rightful Native American descendants or affiliated tribes, in accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). These remains, which belong to one individual of Native American ancestry, are currently kept at the Southeast Archeology Center in Florida. Multiple tribes, including the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation, have been identified as having priority for the remains' disposition. Interested parties must claim the remains by December 5, 2025, or they will be considered unclaimed. Disposition can occur as soon as January 6, 2025, if claims are made.
Simple Explanation
The U.S. National Park Service is planning to give back the remains of a Native American person found in Tennessee to the tribes they belong to, and people have until December 2025 to claim them. Some details about how they decide who gets the remains aren't clear, so it could be confusing.