[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 153 (Wednesday, August 9, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 40600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-19607]



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Notice of Inventory Completion for Human Remains and Associated 
Funerary Objects in the Control of Glacier Bay National Park and 
Preserve, Gustavus, AK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior

ACTION: Notice

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    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d), of the completion of inventory 
of human remains and associated funerary objects in the control of 
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Gustavus, AK. The human remains 
and associated funerary objects are curated at Washington State 
University, Pullman, WA.
    A detailed inventory and assessment of these human remains and 
associated funerary objects has been made by the National Park Service 
curatorial and anthropological staff in consultation with 
representatives of Hoonah Indian Association.
    The cremated human bones and associated funerary objects were 
recovered in 1964 from a collapsed log grave house on the western shore 
of Excursion Inlet, AK, by Dr. Robert E. Ackerman. The cremated human 
remains and funerary objects were originally in bent wood boxes which 
were deteriorated when documented by Dr. Ackerman.
    The human remains represent a minimum of three adults of unknown 
sex, stature, and age. No known individuals were identifiable. 
Associated funerary objects include two copper tube fragments, two 
white glass shirt buttons, several clay pipestem fragments, an eroded 
piece of metal with bits of woven fabric, four pieces of shaped wood 
(remains of the bent wood box or boxes that originally contained the 
remains), a bone socket containing a wooden plug, and several decayed 
bits of cordage.
    Testimony of Tlingit elders recorded in Goldschmidt and Haas, 
``Possessory Rights of the Natives of Southeastern Alaska,`` (1946), 
and testimony taken during recent consultation with Hoonah Tlingit 
elders identifies Excursion Inlet as within the traditional territory 
of the Hoonah Tlingit. Dr. Ackerman suggests that the practice of 
cremation among the Hoonah Tlingit became very rare after 1890. On that 
basis these human remains are believed to have been interred sometime 
prior to that time.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the National 
Park Service has determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there 
is a relationship of shared group identity which can be reasonably 
traced between these Native American human remains and associated 
funerary objects and the Hoonah Indian Association. All of the objects 
are reasonably believed to have been placed with or near individual 
Native American human remains either at the time of death or later as 
part of a death rite or ceremony.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Hoonah Indian 
Association. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with these human remains and 
associated funerary objects should contact Superintendent Jim Brady, 
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 140, Gustavus, AK 
99826-0140, telephone (907) 697-2230 before September 8, 1995. 
Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to 
the Hoonah Indian Association may begin after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
Dated: August 3, 1995
Veletta Canouts
Acting, Departmental Consulting Archeologist and
Acting Chief, Archeological Assistance Division
[FR Doc. 95-19607 Filed 8-8-95; 8:45 am]
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