[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61669-61670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21369]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Milwaukee Public 
Museum, Milwaukee, WI

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

[[Page 61670]]

(NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items in 
the possession of the Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI that meet 
the definition of ``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 three cultural items are one wooden pipe (MPM 39618[sol]10674), 
one partial belt of wampum (MPM 30127/7270), and one string of wampum 
beads (MPM 30128[sol]7270).
    In 1922, the partial wampum belt and wampum beads were collected 
for the museum by Alanson Skinner, the museum curator. Museum records 
indicate that one of the wampum items was collected from Ms. Harriet 
Quinney, daughter of Chief John Quinney of the Stockbridge-Munsee 
tribe. Tribal representatives have indicated that the wampum have 
ongoing historical, traditional or cultural importance to the tribe and 
could not have been alienated by a single individual.
    In 1932, the pipe was purchased by the museum from Mr. Clarence 
Sheriff of Green Bay, WI. Museum records state the pipe was formerly 
the property of Austin Quinney (1791-1865) who was the brother of John 
Quinney, with whom one of the wampum items is associated. 
Ethnohistorical records confirm their identification as sachems of the 
Stockbridge community. Consultation evidence, as well as the 
iconography and style of the pipe, indicate that the pipe is of 
ceremonial character, would have been owned by a sachem of the 
community, and would not have been subject to alienation by an 
individual.
    Officials of the Milwaukee Public Museum have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(D), the three 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. Officials of the Milwaukee Public 
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 objects of cultural patrimony and the Stockbridge 
Munsee Community, Wisconsin.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the objects of cultural property should 
contact Dawn Scher Thomae, Associate Curator of Anthropology, Milwaukee 
Public Museum, 800 W. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233, telephone 
(414) 278-6157, before November 30, 2007. Repatriation of the objects 
of cultural patrimony to the Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin 
may proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Milwaukee Public Museum is responsible for notifying the 
Stockbridge Munsee Community, Wisconsin that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: September 17, 2007
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E7-21369 Filed 10-30-07; 8:45 am]
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