[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3913-3914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1856]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession 
of the Cibola National Forest, United States Forest Service, 
Albuquerque, NM

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. 3005 (a)(2), of the intent to 
repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Cibola National 
Forest, United States Forest Service, Albuquerque, NM, which meets the 
definition of ``sacred object'' under Section 2 of the Act.
    The cultural items consist of 17 prayer sticks of aspen and willow, 
four corn husk cigarettes, a miniature bow, and a miniature spear.
    In February 1987, these items were seized from a private residence 
by Federal law enforcement officers as part of an Archeological 
Resources Protection Act case. The items have been identified as being 
from lands of the Cibola National Forest in west-central New Mexico.
    Ethnographic and anthropological sources indicate the items in this 
collection resemble known Acoma religious objects. Representatives of 
the Pueblo of Acoma have indicated that these cultural items were left 
as offerings at a shrine on the Cibola National Forest and have 
identified these cultural items as sacred objects necessary for the 
continuing practice of traditional Acoma religion by present-day 
adherents. Representatives of the Pueblo of Acoma have also stated that 
once left as offerings, the Acoma religion requires that such cultural 
items not be disturbed. 
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the United 
States Forest Service have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 
(3)(C), these 23 cultural items are specific ceremonial objects needed 
by traditional Native American religious leaders for the practice of 
traditional Native American religions by their present-day adherents. 
Officials of the United States Forest Service have also 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 items and 
the Pueblo of Acoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Hopi Tribe, the 
Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe, the Moapa 
Band of Paiutes, the Navajo Nation, the Paiute Tribe of Utah, the 
Pueblo of Acoma, the Pueblo of Jemez, the Pueblo of Zuni, the San 
Carlos Apache Tribe, and the San Juan

[[Page 3914]]

Southern Paiute Tribe, and the Yavapai-Apache Community of Arizona. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these objects should contact Dr. Frank E. 
Wozniak, NAGPRA Coordinator, Southwestern Region, USDA Forest Service, 
517 Gold Ave. SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102; telephone: (505) 842-3238, 
fax: (505) 842-3800 before February 26, 1997. Repatriation of these 
objects to the Pueblo of Acoma may begin after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
Dated: January 17, 1997.
Veletta Canouts,
Acting Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Deputy Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 97-1856 Filed 1-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F