[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 62 (Friday, April 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16837-16838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6464]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Field Museum of Natural History, 
Chicago, IL

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. 3003, of the 
completion of an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects in the possession of the Field Museum of Natural History, 
Chicago, IL. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Duke Island, AK.
    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 Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains and associated funerary 
objects was made by Field Museum of Natural History professional staff 
in consultation with representatives of the Angoon Community 
Association, Cape Fox Corporation, Central Council of the Tlingit & 
Haida Indian Tribes, Chilkat Indian Village (Klukwan), Chilkoot Indian 
Association (Haines), Craig Community Association, Douglas Indian 
Association, Hoonah Indian Association, Ketchikan Indian Corporation, 
Klawock Cooperative Association, Organized Village of Kake, Organized 
Village of Saxman, Petersburg Indian Association, Sitka Tribe of 
Alaska, Wrangell Cooperative Association, and Yakutat Tlingit Tribe.
    In July 1897, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from a grave house on Duke Island, near Old 
Tongass, AK, by George A. Dorsey for the Field Museum of Natural 
History. The 1896-1897 Annual Report of the Director to the Board of 
Trustees describes a four[macr]month trip that assistant curator of 
anthropology George A. Dorsey and museum photographer Edward Allen made 
``among the Indians of the far West,'' that included a visit to the 
``Tlingit'' tribe. The report states that a single skeleton of a shaman 
was secured from the Tlingit tribe. No known individual was identified. 
The nine associated funerary objects are a bentwood box with lid, a 
fringed and painted apron, a decorated and fringed leather pouch, a 
fringed leather pouch, an inlaid pipe, a knife, a stick, a labret, and 
a peg.
    The human remains have been identified as Native American, based on 
the specific cultural and geographic attribution in Field Museum of 
Natural History records. The records identify the human remains as a 
female Tlingit shaman from ``Duke Island, near Old Tongas, Alaska.'' 
Scholarly publications and consultation information provided

[[Page 16838]]

by the Cape Fox Corporation indicate that Duke Island is considered to 
be within the traditional territory of the Tongass Tlingit of southern 
Alaska. The Tongass Tlingit are represented by the Cape Fox 
Corporation.
    Officials of the Field Museum of Natural History have determined 
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9[macr]10), the human remains 
described above represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry. Officials of the Field Museum of Natural 
History also have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. (3)(A), the 
nine objects 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. Lastly, officials of the 
Field Museum of Natural History 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 Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects and the Cape Fox Corporation.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Helen Robbins, Repatriation Specialist, Field 
Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, 
telephone (312) 665-7317, before May 2, 2005. Repatriation of the human 
remains and associated funerary objects to the Cape Fox Corporation may 
begin after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Field Museum is responsible for notifying the Angoon Community 
Association, Cape Fox Corporation, Central Council of the Tlingit & 
Haida Indian Tribes, Chilkat Indian Village (Klukwan), Chilkoot Indian 
Association (Haines), Craig Community Association, Douglas Indian 
Association, Hoonah Indian Association, Ketchikan Indian Corporation, 
Klawock Cooperative Association, Organized Village of Kake, Organized 
Village of Saxman, Petersburg Indian Association, Sitka Tribe of 
Alaska, Wrangell Cooperative Association, Yakutat Tlingit Tribe that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: February 11, 2005.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 05-6464 Filed 3-31-05; 8:45 am]
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