[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2526-2527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-560]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Slater Museum of Natural History, 
University of Puget Sound, 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 the Slater Museum of Natural History, 
University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from Pierce 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 Slater 
Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound professional staff 
and a consultant in consultation with representatives of the 
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington; 
Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, Washington; 
Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, Washington; and Squaxin 
Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island Reservation, Washington.
    In 1956, human remains representing a minimum of one individual 
were removed from Connell's Prairie, near Buckley in Pierce County, WA, 
by John Bonifas and LaMar Hathaway while digging fence post holes. The 
human remains were donated by the Pierce County Sherriff to the museum 
in 1956. No known individual was identified. The two associated 
funerary objects are one bead and one silver ball.
    The human remains were reviewed and determined to be Native 
American based upon cranial deformation and tooth wear. The red glass 
seed bead was found in the sediments with the human remains, whereas 
the metal ball was found with the human remains during a museum 
inventory, but not recorded as found with the human remains at the time 
of removal. However, both objects are determined to be associated 
funerary objects. The Pierce County Sherriff's report states the human 
remains were discovered approximately two feet below the surface. 
Archeological evidence supports the presence of Osceola mudflows at a 
depth of two feet across the prairie that occurred approximately 5,000 
years ago, suggesting the human remains could be approximately 5,000 
years old. However, due to the presence of the glass seed bead, the 
human remains most likely date to the 1800s, at which time glass trade 
beads would have been available at nearby locations such as Fort 
Steilacoom.
    Connell's Prairie is located west of Naches Pass, a historic pass 
connecting

[[Page 2527]]

Puget Sound's Fort Steilacoom and eastern Washington where a wagon road 
was built in 1853 which originated at Fort Steilacoom and moved east 
across Connell's Prairie to Naches Pass. Archeological evidence 
suggests the prairie was used by both western and eastern Washington 
Native American groups who traveled along the trails and roads through 
the prairie between Puget Sound and eastern Washington. In addition, 
there is a recorded ethnographic village to the south of Connell's 
Prairie, which is associated with both the Muckleshoot and Puyallup 
Tribes. The Indian Claims Commission determined Connell's Prairie to be 
outside the exclusive treaty-time territory of any Native American 
tribe. Connell's Prairie was also the site of several events during the 
1855-1856 Treaty Wars between various Native American groups and the 
U.S. Government. Native American participants in these wars include 
members of the present-day Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot 
Reservation, Washington; Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually 
Reservation, Washington; and Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup 
Reservation, Washington. Based on physical anthropological evidence, 
historic documentation, and associated funerary objects, the human 
remains are reasonably believed to be Native American and have a shared 
group relationship with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot 
Reservation, Washington; Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually 
Reservation, Washington; and[sol]or Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup 
Reservation, Washington.
    Officials of the Slater Museum 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 Slater Museum also have determined that, pursuant to 
25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the two 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 Slater 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 Native American human remains 
and associated funerary objects and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the 
Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington; Nisqually Indian Tribe of the 
Nisqually Reservation, Washington; and Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup 
Reservation, Washington.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary 
objects should contact Peter Wimberger, Director, Slater Museum of 
Natural History, University of Puget Sound, 1500 N. Warner, Tacoma, WA 
98416, telephone (253) 879-2784, before February 14, 2008. Repatriation 
of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Muckleshoot 
Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington; Nisqually 
Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, Washington; and Puyallup 
Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, Washington may proceed after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Slater Museum is responsible for notifying the Muckleshoot 
Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington; Nisqually 
Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, Washington; Puyallup Tribe 
of the Puyallup Reservation, Washington; and Squaxin Island Tribe of 
the Squaxin Island Reservation, Washington that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: December 7, 2007
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-560 Filed 1-14-08; 8:45 am]
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