[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 7041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3683]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item from Arizona in 
the Possession of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

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 a cultural item in the possession of the Metropolitan Museum 
of Art, New York, NY, which meets the definition of ``object of 
cultural patrimony'' under Section 2 of the Act.
    The cultural item is an Apache Gaan mask of painted wood and cloth.
    This mask was collected by E. H. Davis between 1910-1911, and 
transferred to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from the Museum of 
Primitive Art in 1978.
    The cultural affiliation of this item is San Carlos Apache as 
verified by the San Carlos Apache Tribe. The Tribe has indicated that 
this item has ongoing traditional and cultural importance to the tribe 
and could not have been conveyed by any individual tribal member.
    Based on the above mentioned information, officials of the 
Metropolitan Museum of Art have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 
3001 (3)(D), this cultural item has ongoing historical, traditional, 
and cultural importance central to the culture itself, and could not 
have been alienated, appropriated, or conveyed by any individual. 
Officials of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 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 this item and the San 
Carlos Apache Tribe.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Camp Verde Yavapai-
Apache Community, the Fort McDowell Mohave-Apache Community, the Payson 
Tonto Apache Tribe, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, and the White Mountain 
Apache Tribe. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with these objects should contact 
Julie Jones, Curator in Charge, Department of the Arts of Africa, 
Oceania, and the Americas, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY 
10028-1098, telephone (212) 570-3705 before March 17, 1997. 
Repatriation of these objects to the San Carlos Apache Tribe may begin 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
Dated: February 7, 1997.
Francis P. McManamon,
Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 97-3683 Filed 2-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F