[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 144 (Thursday, July 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42670-42671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11999]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Pacific Lutheran University, 
Tacoma, WA

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 Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA. 
The human remains and associated funerary objects were removed from an 
unknown site in the Southwestern United States.
    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 object. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Pacific 
Lutheran University professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the

[[Page 42671]]

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; on behalf of the Ak Chin Indian Community of the 
Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian 
Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham 
Nation of Arizona; and themselves.
    At unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from an unknown site in Southwestern United 
States. At an unknown date, the human remains were acquired by Jens 
Knudsen, a biology professor at Pacific Lutheran University and private 
collector. Mrs. Knudsen, the widow of Mr. Knudsen, transferred the 
human remains to Pacific Lutheran University. No known individual was 
identified. The two associated funerary objects are one bag of pebbles 
and one dog skeleton.
    The human remains and associated funerary objects are in a box 
labeled ``Hohokam.'' During consultation, Salt River Pima tribal 
representative stated that dogs were sometimes interred with an 
individual. Based on the donor's collection history, it is reasonable 
to believe that the human remains are Native American. Based on museum 
documentation and information during consultation, it is reasonable to 
believe the human remains are Hohokam.
    Archeological evidence has demonstrated a strong relationship of 
shared group identity between the Hohokam and the present-day O'odham 
(Pima and Papago) and Hopi. The O'odham people are currently 
represented by the Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) 
Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila 
River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 
Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham 
Nation of Arizona. In 1990, representatives of the Ak Chin Indian 
Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila 
River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River 
Reservation, Arizona; and Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona issued a 
joint policy statement claiming ancestral ties to the Hohokam cultural 
traditions.
    O'odham oral traditions indicate that some of the Hohokam people 
migrated north and joined the Hopi. In 1994, representatives of the 
Hopi Tribe of Arizona issued a statement claiming cultural affiliation 
with Hohokam cultural traditions. Zuni oral traditions mention Hawikuh, 
a Zuni community, as a destination of settlers from the Hohokam area. 
In 1995, representatives of the Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New 
Mexico issued a statement claiming cultural affiliation with the 
Hohokam cultural traditions.
    Officials of the Pacific Lutheran University have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above 
represent the physical remains of one individual of Native American 
ancestry. Officials of the Pacific Lutheran University also have 
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the two objects 
described above is 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 Pacific Lutheran 
University 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 Ak Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak 
Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the 
Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt 
River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, 
Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni 
Reservation, New Mexico.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact David R. Huelsbeck, Anthropology Department, 
Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA 98447, telephone (253) 535-
7196, before August 28, 2006. Repatriation of the human remains and 
associated funerary object to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 
Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; on behalf of the Ak 
Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian 
Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona; and themselves 
may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    Pacific Lutheran University is responsible for notifying Ak Chin 
Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation, Arizona; 
Gila River Indian Community of the Gila River Indian Reservation, 
Arizona; Hopi Tribe of Arizona; Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian 
Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona; Tohono O'odham Nation 
of Arizona; and Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: July 13, 2006.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E6-11999 Filed 7-26-06; 8:45 am]
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