[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 129 (Thursday, July 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 38419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-10509]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item: Institute for 
American Indian Studies, Washington, CT

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 a cultural item in the possession of the Institute for 
American Indian Studies, Washington, CT, that meets the definition of 
``sacred object'' 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 
item. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    The one cultural item is an Onondaga False Face mask.
    In 1993, an Onondaga False Face mask (67.29.14) was 
transferred from the Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, CT, to the Institute 
for American Indian Studies. The mask had been transferred to the 
Mattatuck Museum from the Museum of the American Indian/Heye 
Foundation, New York, NY, on October 20, 1967. The only information on 
the mask derives from the Mattatuck accession records, which note the 
following: ``Onondago [sic] Reservation, NY, 1946.''
    According to museum records and Institute for American Indian 
Studies professional staff and consultants, the mask is a sacred object 
used by Native American religious practitioners in healing and other 
religious ceremonies. Consultation with the Onondaga Nation of New York 
confirm and support that the mask is of Native American religious 
importance to the Onondaga people.
    Officials of the Institute for American Indian Studies have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(C), the cultural item 
described above 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 Institute for American Indian Studies 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 sacred object and 
the Onondaga Nation of New York.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the sacred object should contact Dr. 
Lucianne Lavin, Director of Research and Collections, Institute for 
American Indian Studies, 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT 06793, 
telephone (860) 868-0518, before August 7, 2006. Repatriation of the 
sacred object to the Onondaga Nation of New York may proceed after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Institute for American Indian Studies is responsible for 
notifying the Onondaga Nation of New York that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: June 7, 2006.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E6-10509 Filed 7-5-06; 8:45 am]
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