[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 135 (Monday, July 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40363-40364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15911]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: University of 
Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, AK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

[[Page 40364]]


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 possession of the University of 
Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, AK, 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 1942, cultural items were donated to the University of Alaska 
Museum by Art Glover and accessioned (Accession number 217). According 
to accession ledger records, the cultural items had been removed from a 
burial on the Snake River, Walla Walla, WA. The 85 unassociated 
funerary objects are 74 stone arrowheads, 1 stone mortar, 1 leather 
pad, 1 iron axe head, 1 metal rifle butt, 1 iron knife blade, 1 antler 
digging stick handle, 1 stone club with wood handle, 1 hammerstone, 1 
wood and iron fishhook, 1 carved wood seal figure, and 1 necklace with 
three boxes of beads.
    These items are typical of funerary objects found in other burials 
excavated in the same geographic region. Funerary objects, including 
the iron axe head and metal rifle butt, place the funerary objects 
within the historic period. The Snake River borders Walla Walla County, 
WA, along the north. The Snake River and the surrounding land in this 
region are within the ceded lands and traditional use territory of the 
Weyiiletpuu (Cayuse), Imatalamama (Umatilla), and Waluulapam (Walla 
Walla) tribes. These three tribes are members of the Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon.
    Officials of the University of Alaska Museum have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the 85 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 University of Alaska 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 Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Mr. James Whitney, Archaeology Collections Manager, University 
of Alaska Museum, 907 Yukon Dr., Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960, telephone 
(907) 474-6943, before August 13, 2008. Repatriation of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The University of Alaska Museum is responsible for notifying the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: June 16, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-15911 Filed 7-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S