[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 177 (Thursday, September 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52392-52393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18102]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Thomas Burke 
Memorial Washington State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, 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. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the control the Thomas Burke Memorial 
Washington State Museum (Burke Museum), University of Washington, 
Seattle, WA, that meet the definition of ``unassociated funerary 
objects'' 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.
    In 1920-1921, unassociated funerary objects were removed from two 
graves at ``Hall Site 8''in the vicinity of 45-GR-134, Grant 
County, WA, during a museum expedition by F. S. Hall, Earl O. Roberts, 
and M. Mohr. The cultural items were accessioned by the museum in 1920 
(Burke Accn. 1860). The 31 unassociated funerary objects are 1 
lot of beads (possibly made of juniper berries), 4 metal fragments, 22 
bone tools, 2 bird bones, 1 lot of shell beads, and 1 lot of olivella 
shell beads.
    In 1920 and 1921, unassociated funerary objects were removed from 
an unknown location in Grant County, WA, during a museum expedition by 
F. S. Hall, Earl O. Roberts, and M. Mohr. The cultural items were 
accessioned by the museum in 1920 (Burke Accn. 1860). The 28 
unassociated funerary objects are 1 lot of metal fragments, 2 dentalium 
shells, 11 dentalium shell beads (some strung on fiber), 3 dentalium 
shell fragments, 2 lots of red ochre, 8 small rocks, and 1 seed.
    The burial pattern and unassociated funerary objects are consistent 
with Native American plateau customs. Museum documentation indicates 
that the cultural items were found in connection with human remains. 
The cultural items are consistent with cultural items typically found 
in context with burials in eastern Washington.
    Early and late published ethnographic documentation indicates that 
the sites

[[Page 52393]]

described above are the aboriginal territory of the Moses-Columbia or 
Sinkiuse, and Yakima (Daugherty 1973, Miller 1998, Mooney 1896, Ray 
1936, Spier 1936). Descendents of the Moses-Columbia, Sinkiuse, and 
Yakima are members of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville 
Reservation, Washington and Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama 
Nation, Washington. Furthermore, information provided by the two tribes 
during consultation indicates that the aboriginal ancestors occupying 
this area were highly mobile and traveled the landscape for gathering 
resources as well as trade, and are part of the and are part of the 
more broadly defined Plateau communities. Descendents of these Plateau 
communities are now widely dispersed and enrolled in the Confederated 
Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Confederated Tribes 
of the Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs 
Reservation of Oregon; Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and Wanapum Band, a 
non-federally recognized Indian group.
    The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon; Confederated 
Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; Nez Perce Tribe of 
Idaho; and Wanapum Band, non-federally recognized Indian group are 
claiming jointly all cultural items from the Columbia River area in 
eastern Washington and Oregon.
    Officials of the Burke Museum have determined that, pursuant to 25 
U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the 59 cultural items 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 and are believed, by a preponderance of the evidence, to have 
been removed from a specific burial site of a Native American 
individual. Officials of the Burke Museum 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 unassociated 
funerary objects and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville 
Reservation, Washington, Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho, Confederated Tribes 
of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon, and Confederated Tribes of the 
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, Confederated Tribes and Bands of 
the Yakama Nation, Washington. Furthermore, officials of the Burke 
Museum have determined that there is a cultural relationship between 
the unassociated funerary objects and the Wanapum Band, a non-federally 
recognized Indian group.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Dr. Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 
353010, Seattle, WA 98195-3010, telephone (206) 685-2282, before 
October 15, 2007. Repatriation of the unassociated funerary objects to 
the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon; Confederated 
Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; and Nez Perce Tribe 
of Idaho for themselves and on behalf of the Wanapum Band, a non-
federally recognized Indian group, 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; Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs 
Reservation of Oregon; Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and Wanapum Band, a 
non-federally recognized Indian group that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: August 28, 2007
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-18102 Filed 9-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S