[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35709-35710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14230]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 of the 
Slater Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, 
WA. The human remains were removed from Yachats, Lincoln County, OR.
    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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Slater 
Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound professional staff 
and a consultant in consultation with representatives of the 
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of 
Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon; and 
Coquille Tribe of Oregon.
    At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from the vicinity of Yachats, Lincoln County, 
OR, by Dr. L. E. Hibbard. Dr. Hibbard gave the human remains to Stanley 
G. Jewett. Mr. Jewett donated the human remains to the Slater Museum in 
1955. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    The individual is most likely of Native American ancestry as 
indicated by morphological features. Writing on the skull indicates 
that the human remains were removed from the vicinity of ``Yahats,'' 
which is reasonably believed to be a misspelling of Yachats. The 
geographical location where the human remains were recovered is 
consistent with the historically documented territory of the tribes now 
represented by the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, 
Oregon. Members of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and 
Siuslaw Indians of Oregon and Coquille Tribe of Oregon were moved to 
the Yachats area where they lived from 1859-1875. Absent additional 
information about the burial period, officials of the Slater Museum of 
Natural History reasonably believe that the human remains are most 
likely affiliated with the Alsea Tribe who had villages in the vicinity 
of Yachats, which had inhabited the area prior to the arrival of the 
Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of Oregon 
and Coquille Tribe of Oregon, and continued to inhabit the area 
afterwards. The Alsea Tribe from the Yachats area are now members of 
the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon. Furthermore, 
based on information provided during consultation with tribal 
representatives, there is a reasonable belief that the human remains 
share a common ancestry with members of tribes now represented by the 
Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon.
    Officials of the Slater Museum of Natural History 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 of Natural History 
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 Siletz Reservation, Oregon.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Peter 
Wimberger, Slater Museum of Natural History, University of Puget Sound, 
1500 N. Warner, Tacoma, WA 98416, telephone (253) 879-2784, before July 
24, 2008. Repatriation of the human remains to the Confederated Tribes 
of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Slater Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians of 
Oregon; Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Reservation, Oregon; and 
Coquille Tribe of Oregon that this notice has been published.


[[Page 35710]]


    Dated: May 30, 2008.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-14230 Filed 6-23-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S