[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 197 (Thursday, October 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63153-63154]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25870]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item in the Possession 
of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, OK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is hereby given in accordance with the provisions of the 
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 43 CFR 
10.10 (a)(3), of the intent to repatriate a cultural item in the 
possession of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, 
OK, that meets the definition of ``sacred 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 cultural item is a cedar pole 12 feet long, from which all bark 
has been removed. The pole is painted lengthwise, black on one side and 
green on the other side. Accession and catalog records of the Sam Noble 
Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (formerly known as the Stovall 
Museum of Science and History) indicate that the pole was donated to 
the museum in 1946 by Mrs. Joe Weller of Gracemont, OK.
    According to museum records and consultation with representatives 
of the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma, the pole was originally made about 1895 
by Caddo Chief White Bread. The pole was used regularly in Caddo Ghost 
Dances from 1895 until 1946. About 1922, Chief White Bread died and the 
pole passed to Mr. Squirrel, another community Ghost Dance leader. Mr. 
Joe Weller was the third custodian of the pole and held Ghost Dances 
annually until his death in 1945. On July 14, 1946, Mrs. Weller 
sponsored a final Ghost Dance, after which she intended to ``retire'' 
the pole. University of Oklahoma anthropologist K.G. Orr was among 
those attending the July 14, 1946, Ghost Dance and, according to museum 
accession records, he ``persuaded Mrs. Weller and the Caddo tribe to 
donate the pole to the museum rather than destroy it at the completion 
of the dance.'' The pole was accessioned into the collections of the 
museum's Division of Ethnology in 1946. Since that time, 
representatives of the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma and Caddo traditional 
religious leaders have regularly visited the museum and consulted with 
the museum staff concerning the pole.
    Consultations with representatives of the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma 
confirm that this pole was made to be used in the Caddo Ghost Dance. 
Representatives of the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma have provided evidence 
that the pole is needed by traditional religious leaders for the 
practice of the Ghost Dance by present-day adherents. Representatives 
of the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma have provided evidence that the pole is 
of ongoing historical, traditional, and cultural importance to the 
Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma as a whole.
    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Sam 
Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History have determined that, pursuant 
to 43 CFR 10.2(d)(3), this item is a specific ceremonial object needed 
by traditional Native American religious leaders for the practice of 
traditional Native American religions by their present-day adherents. 
Officials of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History have 
determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2(e), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be traced between this sacred object and 
the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the Caddo Tribe of 
Oklahoma. Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes 
itself to be culturally affiliated with this object should contact 
Julie Droke, Registrar/Repatriation

[[Page 63154]]

Specialist, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of 
Oklahoma, 2401 Chautauqua Ave., Norman, OK 73072, telephone (405) 325-
1035, before November 12, 2002. Repatriation of this sacred object to 
the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma may begin after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.

    Dated: August 28, 2002.
Robert Stearns,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 02-25870 Filed 10-9-02; 8:45 am]
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