[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 212 (Thursday, November 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64559-64561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18509]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Southwest Museum 
of the American Indian, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 Southwest Museum 
of the American Indian, Autry National Center, Los Angeles, CA, that 
meet the definitions of ``sacred objects'' and ``objects of cultural 
patrimony'' 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 55 cultural items are 42 pieces of Dilzini Gaan dance material, 
6 Dilzini Gaan headdresses, 2 Dilzini Gaan dance wands, 2 crosses, 1 
shirt, 1 medicine bundle, and 1 cap.
    Southwest Museum officials identified the cultural items and 
assessed the cultural affiliation of the cultural items at the request 
of the San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; 
Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort 
Apache Reservation, Arizona; and Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp 
Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona, which are members of the Western 
Apache NAGPRA Working Group. Southwest Museum officials also consulted 
with representatives of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache 
Tribe of Oklahoma; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New Mexico; and Mescalero 
Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New Mexico.
    At an unknown time, the Southwest Museum purchased 42 painted and 
carved wooden pieces of Dilzini Gaan dance material from an unknown 
person at an unknown location with money provided by the General 
Charles McCormack Reeve Fund. No further information has been found to 
clarify means of acquisition by the donor.
    The 42 wooden pieces of Dilzini Gaan dance material range from 4 to 
30 inches in length, and average 2 inches in breadth and .25 inches in 
depth. Some of the wooden pieces have been sharpened to a point at each 
end, others remain squared and blunt, while others exhibit notched, 
flattened or broken edges.
    On May 24, 1940, the Southwest Museum acquired one Dilzini Gaan 
headdress from Miss Rose Dougan. Museum records identify the cultural 
item as an Apache ``Devil Dance'' headdress with a cloth mask. No 
further information has been found to clarify means or location of 
acquisition by the donor.
    The Dilzini Gaan headdress is composed of wooden slats arranged in 
a fan shape measuring approximately 38 inches wide and 23 inches high. 
The slats are decorated with green, blue, orange, and white paint. Two 
tassels made of four slender, blue wooden rods are attached to the 
laterally projecting slats, one tassel on the right side and one on the 
left side. The mask is approximately 11 inches wide and 17.5 inches 
long. It is made of a flour sack painted black. One side of the mask is 
imprinted with the words, ``Loveland flour...Love Me.'' Two slits have 
been made near the wearer's eyes. Above these holes are a feather and 
four white triangles.
    On December 3, 1935, the Southwest Museum purchased three Dilzini 
Gaan

[[Page 64560]]

headdresses from Ms. Bonnie Gray of Burbank, CA, with money provided by 
the General Charles McCormack Reeve Fund. According to correspondence 
found in the museum records, Ms. Gray and a companion unearthed the 
masks in Arizona from the floor of a deserted Apache cabin during the 
middle of the night. Museum records identify all four headdresses as 
Apache ``Devil Dance'' material.
    The first of the three Dilzini Gaan headdresses is made of wooden 
slats tied together with sinew arranged in a fan shape measuring 
approximately 31 inches wide and 35 inches high. The slats are 
decorated with small mirrors and red, black, blue and yellow painted 
zigzags, arrows, birds, and geometric designs. A black cloth mask is 
attached to the frame with two slits made for the wearer's eyes. The 
second Dilzini Gaan headdress is made of wooden slats tied together 
with sinew arranged in a fan shape measuring approximately 30.5 inches 
wide and 36 inches high. Blue, red-orange, black, purple, green, and 
yellow triangles, diamonds, circles, and other geometric shapes have 
been painted on both sides of the wooden slats. The third Dilzini Gaan 
headdress is made of long wooden slats divided into three groups and 
connected by smaller wooden slats to create a fan shaped arc tied 
together with sinew. It measures approximately 26 inches wide and 40 
inches high. Red, yellow, blue, purple, and green diamonds, scallops, 
triangles, and dots have been painted on both sides of the slats. 
Mirrors adhere to the longer slats and one mirror appears to be 
missing. Two tassels made of four slender yellow wooden rods are 
attached to the laterally projecting slats. There is no mask for the 
headdress.
    On December 31, 1941, the Southwest Museum received one Dilzini 
Gaan headdress and two Dilzini Gaan dance wands from Mr. M.R. 
Harrington, Director of Research, Southwest Museum, originating from an 
unspecified area in Arizona. Museum records identify the material as 
Apache ``Devil Dance'' material. No further information has been found 
to clarify means of acquisition by the donor.
    The Dilzini Gaan headdress is made of long wooden slats tied 
together with sinew and arranged in a fan shape. It measures 
approximately 30 inches wide and 31 inches high. Blue, red, and orange 
triangles, diamonds, and dots have been painted on the slats. Two 
tassels made of four slender wooden rods are attached to the laterally 
projecting slats. A black cloth mask is attached to the wooden frame. 
Two slits have been made for the wearer's eyes, and silver buttons are 
sewn in the same vicinity. The two Dilzini Gaan dance wands are made of 
six pointed wooden slats tied together horizontally and attached 
perpendicularly to a long wooden handle. Red diamonds have been painted 
onto the plane created by the horizontal wooden slats.
    On December 12, 1950, the Southwest Museum acquired one Dilzini 
Gaan headdress from Mr. Owen L. Gothard of Clark County, NV. Museum 
records identify the item as Apache ``Devil Dance'' material. No 
further information has been found to clarify means of acquisition by 
the donor.
    The Dilzini Gaan headdress is made of wooden slats of various 
lengths tied together with sinew in both a horizontal and vertical 
direction. The slats form a rectangle approximately 19 inches wide and 
20.25 inches high. Black, yellow, red, and blue geometric designs have 
been painted on both surfaces. A dark cloth face mask is attached to 
the frame. The mask measures approximately 18.75 inches in long.
    On March 5, 1943, the Southwest Museum received two cultural items 
from Mr. John W. Ennis, Jr., of Los Angeles, CA. Museum records 
identify the items as a Western Apache medicine shirt and a medicine 
bundle composed of a plaque and deerskin bag. According to database 
records, the two cultural items were originally obtained by a 
missionary. It is unclear how Mr. Ennis, Jr., came to possess the 
cultural items. No further information has been found to clarify means 
or location of acquisition by the donor.
    The medicine shirt, or shaman's garment, is a painted deer hide 
with a scalloped border measuring approximately 25.5 inches wide and 30 
inches long. A slit has been cut near the center for the wearer's neck. 
Black, yellow, and green designs have been painted on both sides of the 
hide. The medicine bundle is composed of two items. The first item is a 
wooden plaque measuring approximately 9.5 inches wide and 4 inches 
long. An orange, black, and white figure has been painted on the plaque 
surface. A deerskin thong and feathers are attached to a center 
perforation. The second item is a deerskin bag with shoulder strap. The 
bag measures approximately 9.75 inches wide and 4.75 inches long. A 
green, black, and yellow figure has been painted on the bag, similar to 
the one on the wooden plaque. Eight groups of feathers are attached to 
the bag and along the length of the strap.
    On an unknown date, the Southwest Museum purchased two wooden 
crosses from Mr. Bill Smith with money provided by the General Charles 
McCormack Reeve Fund. No further information has been found to clarify 
means of acquisition by the donor.
    The first cross is 56 inches high, 33.5 inches across, and .25 
inches thick. The cross is composed of five long wooden slats tapered 
to a point distally, traversed horizontally by five shorter wooden 
slats. Blue, black, and white zigzagged lines have been painted on the 
surface. A circular appendage has been attached to the top of the 
cross. Two dark brown feathers measuring 12 inches in length remain 
tied to the cross by a cloth cord. The second cross is 52 inches high, 
24 inches across, and .25 inches thick. The cross is composed of five 
long wooden slats tapered to a point distally, traversed horizontally 
by five shorter wooden slats. Blue, black, and white zigzagged lines 
have been painted on the surface.
    On February 2, 1959, the Southwest Museum acquired one cap from Mr. 
Julian Adams of Marino, CA, as part of the Mary E. Adams ethnological 
collection. Museum records identify the cap as Apache. The cap is a 
man's buckskin cap and exhibits white, black, and dark red beads sewn 
in a star pattern. Seven eagle feathers are attached to the top. No 
further information has been found to clarify the means or location of 
acquisition by the donor.
    Consultation and physical inspection of the cultural items 
described above by knowledgeable Western Apache traditional cultural 
authorities of the San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain 
Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; and Yavapai-
Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona have 
identified the cultural items as culturally affiliated with Western 
Apache Indian tribes. According to the traditional cultural 
authorities, the cultural items have ongoing historical, traditional, 
and cultural importance to the Western Apache, and today, must be 
returned to the tribes representing the Western Apache to fully 
complete the ceremonial cycle into which they were introduced; as such, 
the cultural items are objects of cultural patrimony.
    According to Western Apache traditional cultural authorities, the 
55 cultural items are made and handled according to instructions 
received from the Creator. The Creator is the only One who has the 
right to possess the cultural items after their use by humans. The 
cultural items must be put away properly to return them to the Creator; 
as such, the cultural items are sacred objects. The Western Apache are 
represented today by the federally

[[Page 64561]]

recognized San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, 
Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain Apache Tribe of 
the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; and Yavapai-Apache Nation of the 
Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona. These four tribes are members 
of the Western Apache NAGPRA Working Group.
    Officials of the Southwest Museum have determined that, pursuant to 
25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(C), the 55 cultural items described above are 
specific ceremonial objects needed by traditional Native American 
religious leaders for the practice of traditional Native American 
religions by their present-day adherents. Officials of the Southwest 
Museum have also determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(D), 
the 55 cultural items described above have ongoing historical, 
traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American 
group or culture itself, rather than property owned by an individual. 
Lastly, officials of the Southwest Museum 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 objects of cultural 
patrimony and sacred objects and the San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San 
Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White 
Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; and 
Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the objects of cultural patrimony and 
sacred objects should contact Dr. Duane H. King, Executive Director, or 
Jamie Hebert, NAGPRA Research Associate for Collections, Southwest 
Museum of the American Indian, Autry National Center, 234 Museum Drive, 
Los Angeles, CA 90065, telephone (323) 221-2164 extension 241, before 
December 4, 2006. Repatriation of the objects of cultural patrimony and 
scared objects to the San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain 
Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; and Yavapai-
Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona may proceed 
after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    Southwest Museum is responsible for notifying the Apache Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Jicarilla Apache Nation, 
New Mexico; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New 
Mexico; San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; 
White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; 
and Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 28, 2006.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E6-18509 Filed 11-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S