[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76778-76779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-28004]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: American Museum of 
Natural History, New York, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves 
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the American Museum 
of Natural History, New York, NY, that meet the definition of 
``unassociated funerary objects'' under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    The 20 cultural items are a Chilkat blanket and a shaman's kit that 
consists of 7 masks, 1 waist robe, 1 shoulder robe, 1 bead, 1 crown, 1 
headdress ornament, 1 carving, 2 bracelets, 1 charm, 1 club, 1 pair of 
earrings, and 1 nose ring.
    The Chilkat blanket is woven from mountain goat wool and is 
ornamented to represent a hawk. The blanket is fringed along the sides 
and bottom. All seven masks from the shaman's kit are carved from wood, 
painted, and ornamented in various designs. The first mask is painted 
red, green, and brown and is ornamented with devilfish tentacles 
encircling the face. The second mask is painted red, green, and brown 
and represents a sun dog spirit. The third mask is painted red, green, 
and brown, is ornamented with bear skin, and represents the spirit 
living on a small lake. The fourth mask is painted green and brown, is 
ornamented with black bear fur across the forehead and copper at the 
nostrils and lips, and represents a land otter man. The fifth mask is 
painted green, red, and brown, is ornamented with brass at the eyes, 
nostrils, and lips, and represents the spirit of the trout canoe. The 
sixth mask is painted green, red, and brown, and represents the spirit 
living in the stars. The seventh mask is painted green, red, and brown, 
is ornamented with a copper tongue, and represents the deer spirit. The 
waist robe is made from a caribou hide that is ornamented with deer 
hoofs, crested puffin bills, and feathers. The shoulder robe is made 
from moose hide and represents a whale. The bead is made of carved 
bone. The crown is made of mountain goat horns. The headdress ornament 
is made from wood and is carved to represent a bear's head below the 
dorsal fin of a killer whale. The carving represents a salmon upon 
which is carved the figure of a crab. The two bracelets are made of 
bone and one is carved with intersecting lines. The charm is made of 
stone and is carved to represent an eagle. The club is made of carved 
wood and represents a salmon with a human head in its mouth. The 
earrings are made of bone and are carved to represent a salmon. The 
nose ring is made of ivory.
    At an unknown date, Lieutenant George Thornton Emmons acquired the 
Chilkat blanket. In 1894, the American Museum of Natural History 
purchased the Chilkat blanket from Lieutenant Emmons and accessioned it 
into its collection that same year.
    Lieutenant Emmons purchased the shaman's kit in 1899. Museum 
records indicate that Lieutenant Emmons purchased the kit through a 
friend who had been in ``Auk country.'' In 1900, the American Museum of 
Natural History purchased the shaman's kit from Lieutenant Emmons and 
accessioned it into its collection that same year.
    The cultural affiliation of the Chilkat blanket is Hutsnuwu 
(``Hootz[macr]ar[macr]rar qwan'') Tlingit as indicated through Museum 
records and consultation with representatives of Central Council of the 
Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes. The Central Council of the Tlingit and 
Haida Indian Tribes has requested the blanket on behalf of the clans of 
Angoon. The cultural affiliation of the shaman's kit is Auk Tlingit as 
indicated by Museum records and by consultation evidence provided by 
the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes. Museum 
records indicate that the shaman's kit was removed from a grave house 
in Berner's Bay and belonged to the chief doctor Kow[macr]ee of the 
``Thlu[macr]kar tee'' family of the Auk Kwan. The Central Council of 
the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes requested the shaman's kit

[[Page 76779]]

on behalf of the L'eeneidi clan of the Auk Kwan.
    Officials of the American Museum of Natural History have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the 20 cultural items 
described above 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 a Native 
American individual. Officials of the American Museum of Natural 
History also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), 
there is a relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably 
traced between the unassociated funerary objects and the Central 
Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Nell Murphy, Director of Cultural Resources, American Museum of 
Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, 
telephone (212) 769-5837, before January 21, 2005. Repatriation of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Central Council of the Tlingit and 
Haida Indian Tribes may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The American Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes, Douglas 
Indian Association, Goldbelt Incorporated, Angoon Community 
Association, Kootznoowoo, Incorporated, and Sealaska Heritage 
Foundation that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 16, 2004
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 04-28004 Filed 12-21-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S