[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 26 (Thursday, February 8, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5995-5996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2067]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington 
State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA and Central 
Washington University, Department of Anthropology and Museum, 
Ellensburg, 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 control of the Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State 
Museum (Burke Museum), University of Washington, Seattle, WA and 
Central Washington University, Department of Anthropology and Museum, 
Ellensburg, WA. The human remains and associated funerary objects were 
removed from Yakima County, WA.
    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 was made by the Burke 
Museum and Central Washington University professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Confederated Tribes and Bands 
of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Colville 
Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Reservation, Oregon; and Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs 
Reservation of Oregon.
    In 1956, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from Wenas Creek (45-YK-51), Yakima County, WA, by Claude 
Warren, University of Washington student, as a part of an excavation 
for the Pacific Northwest Pipeline Survey. In 1966, the collection was 
formally accessioned by the museum (Burke Accn. 1966-85). In 
February 1974, the Burke Museum legally transferred portions of the 
human remains from Burial 2 to Central Washington University. 
No known individual was identified. The 68 associated funerary objects 
are 13 mammal bone fragments, 2 fish bones, 28 dog bones, 1 rodent 
bone, 1 deer bone, 1 antler fragment, 10 charcoal fragments, 10 flakes, 
1 hammer stone, and 1 unmodified stone.
    The burial was discovered in a flexed position at the bottom of a 
talus slope and was covered with a stone cyst of basalt and river 
cobbles. There is evidence of burning on the right scapula, but no 
other indication of cremation. This burial pattern is consistent with 
Yakama burial practices (Schuster 1990: 338). According to Mr. Warren, 
a copper kettle was placed over the top of the human remains, 
indicating a historic burial. The whereabouts of the copper kettle are 
unknown and the Burke Museum has no record of this copper kettle in 
their collection.
    Wenas Creek falls within the lands ceded to the Confederated Tribes 
and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington in the Yakima Treaty of 
1855. Published ethnographic information confirms that the area 
surrounding Wenas Creek was culturally affiliated with the Yakama 
(Swanton 1952, Daugherty 1973, Schuster 1998, Mooney 1896, Ray 1936, 
and Spier 1936). Furthermore, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the 
Yakama Nation, Washington have identified site 45-YK-51 as part of 
their traditional occupation area from pre-contact times and within 
their aboriginal territory. The Si'la-hlama band of the Yakama people 
occupied the area along the Yakima River between Wenas Creek and 
Umtanum Creeks (Swanton 1952). The Lower Yakima bands were also 
associated with the area (Schuster 1998). Descendants of the Si'la-
hlama and Lower Yakima bands are members of the Confederated Tribes and 
Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington.
    Officials of the Burke Museum and Central Washington 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 Burke Museum 
and Central Washington University also have determined that, pursuant 
to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the 68 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 Burke Museum and Central Washington 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 Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, 
Washington.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Dr. Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of 
Washington, Box 353010, Seattle, WA 98195-3010, telephone (206) 685-
2282 and Lourdes Henebry- DeLeon, NAGPRA Program Director, Central 
Washington University, Department of Anthropology and Museum, Mailstop 
7544, Ellensburg, WA 98926, telephone (509) 963-2671 before March 12, 
2007. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects 
to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington 
may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying the Confederated 
Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Confederated Tribes 
of the Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Reservation, Oregon; and Confederated Tribes of the Warm 
Springs Reservation

[[Page 5996]]

of Oregon that this notice has been published.

    Dated: January 11, 2007
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-2067 Filed 2-7-07; 8:45 am]
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