[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 63 (Monday, April 2, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17572-17573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7985]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession 
of the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), of the intent to repatriate 
cultural items in the possession of the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, 
MA, that meet the definition of ``unassociated funerary object'' under 
Section 2 of the Act.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.2 (c). The 
determinations within this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of these 
cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations within this notice.
    The two cultural items are a wooden bowl and a wooden spear.
    During the 1880s-1900s, these cultural items were collected in 
Hawaii by J.S. Emerson. In 1907, these cultural items were purchased 
for the Peabody Essex Museum by Dr. C.G. Weld.
    According to museum documents, Mr. Emerson indicated that the bowl 
was a ``very old Umeke [wooden poi bowl] found by myself in the burial 
cave of Kanupa'' and the spear ``an old Koaia wood war spear of the 
style called IHE Hou * * * found by myself in the cave of Kanupa.'' 
Museum documents and consultation with representatives of Hui Malama I 
Na Kupuna O Hawai'i Nei, Ka Lahui Hawai'i, and the Office of Hawaiian 
Affairs indicate that these cultural items are unassociated funerary 
objects. Conultation with representatives of Hui Malama I Na Kupuna O 
Hawai'i Nei, Ka Lahui Hawai'i, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs also 
indicates their desire to

[[Page 17573]]

repatriate these cultural items based on the repatriation of human 
remains and associated funerary objects from Kanupa Cave on the island 
of Hawaii, HI by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in 1997.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Peabody 
Essex Museum have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(2)(ii), 
these two cultural items are reasonably believed to have been placed 
with or near individual human remains at the time of death or later as 
part of the death rite or ceremony and are believed, by a preponderance 
of the evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of an 
Native American individual. Officials of the Peabody Essex Museum also 
have determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a 
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced 
between these unassociated funerary objects and Hui Malama I Na Kupuna 
O Hawai'i Nei, Ka Lahui Hawai'i, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. 
This notice has been sent to officials of Hui Malama I Na Kupuna O 
Hawai'i Nei, Ka Lahui Hawai'i, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Christina Hellmich, Director of Collections Management, Peabody 
Essex Museum, East India Square, Salem, MA 01970, telephone (978) 745-
1876, facsimile (978) 744-0036, before May 2, 2001. Repatriation of 
these unassociated funerary objects to Hui Malama I Na Kupuna O Hawai'i 
Nei, Ka Lahui Hawai'i, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs may begin 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: March 15, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-7985 Filed 3-30-01; 8:45 am]
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