[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 17736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8173]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains 
and Associated Funerary Objects in the Possession of the Peabody Museum 
of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with provisions of the Native 
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, 
of the completion of an inventory of human remains and associated 
funerary objects in the possession of Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
    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 Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations within this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Coeur D'Alene Tribe of the Coeur D'Alene 
Reservation, Idaho; the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama 
Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, Washington; the Confederated 
Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; the Confederated Tribes 
of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon; the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and 
the Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, Washington.
    In 1871, human remains representing one individual were collected 
from the banks of the Snake River at the mouth of Tucannon, near Fort 
Taylor, Columbia County, WA, by C.R. Greenleaf. In 1872, Mr. Greenleaf 
gifted these human remains to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    Museum documentation identifies this individual as a ``Palouse 
Indian.'' The attribution of such a specific cultural affiliation to 
the human remains indicates that the interment post-dates sustained 
contact between indigenous groups and Europeans beginning in the early 
19th century. The human remains were from an area commonly considered 
to be traditional Palouse territory during this period. Oral traditions 
and historic evidence indicate that although some Palouse People 
occupied their traditional territory until the mid-1900s, many Palouse 
people went to live on neighboring reservations beginning in the late 
19th century, where they continue to maintain their identity as Palouse 
people. Based on consultation with the Indian tribes listed above, the 
present-day tribes representing the Palouse people are the Confederated 
Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, 
Washington; the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 
Washington; and the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Peabody 
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology have determined that, pursuant to 
43 CFR 10.2 (d)(1), the human remains listed above represent the 
physical remains of one individuals of Native American ancestry. 
Officials of the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology 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 
Native American human remains and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of 
the Yakama Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, Washington; the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; and the 
Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho. This notice has been sent to officials of the 
Coeur D'Alene Tribe of the Coeur D'Alene Reservation, Idaho; the 
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation of the Yakama 
Reservation, Washington; the Confederated Tribes of the Colville 
Reservation, Washington; the Confederated Tribes of the Unatilla 
Reservation, Oregon; the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and the Spokane 
Tribe of the Spokane Reservation, Washington. Representatives of any 
other Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated 
with these human remains should contact Barbara Isaac, Repatriation 
Coordinator, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 11 Divinity 
Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone (617) 495-2254, before May 3, 
2001. Repatriation of the human remains to the Confederated Tribes and 
Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, 
Washington; the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, 
Washington; and the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho may begin after that date 
if no additional claimants come forward.

    Dated: March 20, 2001.
John Robbins,
Assistant Director, Cultural Resources Stewardship and Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 01-8173 Filed 4-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F