[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 117 (Tuesday, June 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34317-34318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-13578]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Museum of Anthropology, 
Washington State University, Pullman, 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 in the possession and 
control of the Museum of Anthropology, Washington State University, 
Pullman, WA. The human remains were removed from various locations in 
southeastern Washington State.
    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 that has control of the Native American human remains. The 
National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this 
notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Museum 
of Anthropology, Washington State University professional staff in 
consultation with representatives of the Confederated Tribes of the 
Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Indian Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama 
Nation, Washington; Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and Wanapum Band, a non-
federally recognized Indian group.
    Between approximately 1950 and 1970, human remains representing a 
minimum of 23 individuals were removed from various sites along the 
lower Snake and mid-Columbia Rivers by faculty or were donated to the 
Department of Anthropology at Washington State University. The human 
remains were assembled and used for a number of years in teaching human 
osteology. No known individuals have been identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    The collection of human remains has become known as the Former 
Washington State University Human Osteology Teaching Collection. 
Institutional history within the department, including conversations 
with the late Dr. Grover Krantz who assembled and used the collection, 
indicate that the human remains are from sites along the lower Snake 
and mid-Columbia Rivers in southeastern Washington State. Osteological 
evidence indicates that the 845 remains in the Former Washington State 
University Human Osteology Teaching Collection represent a minimum of 
23 individuals of Native American ancestry. Furthermore, the human 
remains that were removed date to the late prehistoric period and 
historic sites along the lower Snake and middle Columbia Rivers.
    The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; 
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Nez 
Perce Tribe of Idaho; and Wanapum Band, a non-federally recognized 
Indian group, are descendants of the communities of the Native American 
people that used the lower Snake and Columbia Rivers. Based on 
linguistic, oral tradition, geographic and archeological evidence for 
the Columbia Plateau from prehistoric through the historic times, as 
well as consultation evidence, the officials of Museum of Anthropology, 
Washington State University have determined that the Confederated 
Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of 
the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes and Bands 
of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and Wanapum 
Band, a non-federally recognized Indian group, are culturally 
affiliated with the human remains in the Former Washington State 
University Teaching Collection. These above mentioned Indian Tribes 
have filed a joint claim for repatriation of the human remains.
    Officials of the Museum of Anthropology, Washington State 
University have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the 
human remains described above represent the physical remains of a 
minimum of 23 individuals of Native American ancestry. Officials of the 
Museum of Anthropology, Washington State University 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 Native American human remains and the Confederated Tribes 
of the Colville Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes and Bands of 
the Yakama Nation, Washington; Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and Wanapum 
Band, a non-federally recognized Indian group.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remain should contact Mary 
Collins, Director, Museum of Anthropology, Washington State University, 
P.O. Box 644910, Pullman, WA 99164-4910, telephone (508)335-4314, 
before July 17, 2008. Repatriation of the human remains to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Washington; 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon; 
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Washington; Nez 
Perce Tribe of Idaho; and Wanapum Band, a non-federally recognized 
Indian group may proceed after that date if no additional claims come 
forward.
    The Museum of Anthropology, Washington State University is 
responsible for notifying the Confederated Tribes of the Colville 
Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 
Reservation, Oregon; Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama 
Nation, Washington; Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; and Wanapum Band, a non-
federally recognized Indian group that this notice has been published.


[[Page 34318]]


    Dated: June 3, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-13578 Filed 6-16-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S