[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47235-47237]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18677]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Northwest Museum, 
Whitman College, Walla Walla, 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. 3005, of the intent 
to repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Northwest Museum, 
Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA, 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

[[Page 47236]]

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 1901, cultural items were removed from the southwestern corner 
of First and Birch Streets, Walla Walla, Walla Walla County, WA, during 
excavation of a house foundation. The cultural items were accessioned 
to the museum in 1946 (Cat. WHIT-O-11 and WHIT-O-12). 
The 104 unassociated funerary objects are 104 various beads.
    Museum records state that the beads were removed from a grave, but 
there is no record of disposition of the human remains. The land 
occupied by the city of Walla Walla is within the ceded lands of the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon. It was 
used as a wintering ground, habitation area, hunting, fishing and food 
gathering area by the Weyiiletpuu (Cayuse) and Waluulapam (Walla 
Walla). The Weyiiletpuu (Cayuse) and Waluulapam (Walla Walla) are 
members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, 
Oregon.
    On November 27, 1948, cultural items were removed from a burial at 
Canoe Island, Site 10, Umatilla County, OR, Dr. Melvin Jacobs, 
Curator of the Museum of History and Art at Whitman College, and Thomas 
R. Garth, Jr., archeologist for the National Park Service Whitman 
Monument. The human remains were collected, but are not currently in 
the museum collection. The 11 unassociated funerary objects are 3 net 
sinkers, 2 scrapers, 1 chert flake, 1 knife, 1 bone awl, 1 bone needle, 
1 bone point, and 1 sandstone smoother. (Cat. WHIT-J-8, 11, 
12, 17, 88, 90, 91, 99, 101, 102, and 104)
    Canoe Island is currently inundated by Lake Wallula, behind McNary 
Dam. It was an important fishing site of the Imatalamlama (Umatilla) 
and Waluulapam, and opposite the fishing camp of Pusim. The islands in 
the Columbia River were also used for refuge during invasion from 
hostile enemies. Canoe Island is within the ceded lands of the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon.
    On October 16, 1949, cultural items were removed from Cremation Pit 
1 at Rabbit Island, Site 18, 45BN15, Benton County, 
WA. The human remains from Cremation Pit 1 were repatriated to 
the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon in 
1992. The cultural items were identified in the collection and are now 
unassociated funerary objects. The three unassociated funerary objects 
are one clamshell, one obsidian point, and one small piece of basalt 
(Cat. Whit-J-124 to Whit-J-126).
    Rabbit Island was on the Homly Channel of the Columbia River and 
was an important burial site and habitation area for the Waluulapam. It 
was also near two important salmon and eel fishing sites known as 
Tomist-pa and Khus-us-tenim-tala-wit. Today, the island is inundated by 
Lake Wallula, behind McNary Dam and is within the ceded lands of the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon.
    In 1949, Thomas R. Garth excavated at the PeoPeoMoxMox Village 
Site, 45WW6, Burial 2, at Waluula, Walla Walla County, WA. The burial 
is circa A.D. 1845-1855. The human remains were most likely repatriated 
to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon 
in 1992. The cultural items were identified in the collection and are 
now unassociated funerary objects. The three unassociated funerary 
objects are three child-sized copper bracelets (Accn. J-2 and 
1935; Cat. Whit-J-089).
    Waluula was an important permanent village of the Waluulapam. The 
village is currently inundated by Lake Wallula, behind McNary Dam, 
which is within the ceded lands of the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon.
    On November 13, 1949, cultural items were removed from Burial 
4 at 45BN55 Sheep Island, Site 17, Benton County, WA, 
by Thomas R. Garth. The one unassociated funerary object is a granite 
pestle (Accn. J306, 2086; Cat. WHIT-J-15).
    Sheep Island was an important burial island for the Imatalamlama, 
and is currently inundated behind McNary Dam and within the ceded lands 
of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon.
    On December 3, 1949, Thomas R. Garth and others excavated Sheep 
Island, Site 17, Burial 8, Benton County, WA. The human 
remains were repatriated to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Indian Reservation, Oregon in 1992. The cultural items were identified 
in the collection and are unassociated funerary objects. The two 
unassociated funerary objects are one pestle and one pestle base (Accn. 
2085; Cat. Whit-J-0016 and 0020).
    Thomas R. Garth also excavated Burial 10 at Sheep Island, 
Site 17, Benton County, WA, and removed cultural items, which 
were accessioned in the museum under various numbers (Cat. 
Whit-J-1, 4, 21, 22, and 27). The five funerary objects are 
two sandstone smoothers, one salmon packer, one maul broken in two 
pieces, and one obsidian blade.
    Thomas R. Garth found additional cultural items at Sheep Island, 
Site 17, which were accessioned by the museum (Accn. 
2074; Cat. Whit-J-0006, 0017, and 0127). No 
documentation was found as to their exact provenience. However, the 
cultural items were found in the cemetery area and are consistent with 
the type of funerary objects found during burial excavations at the 
site. The three unassociated funerary objects are one chopper, one hand 
adze, and one canoe weight.
    On November 15, 1949, cultural items were found at Garth's Site 
19 on the East end of Berrian Island, Benton County, WA. It 
was reported that this area is the same area that H.D. Osborne of the 
University of Washington and Smithsonian Institute excavated in the 
summer of 1949, where graves were excavated (Hogben, 1950). On November 
25, 1949, Thomas R. Garth revisited the site and found a cremation area 
with burned artifacts and human bone. Most of the cremation artifacts 
removed by Garth were at Whitman Mission and were probably repatriated 
in 1992. Because of the prevalence of human remains on Berrian Island, 
and Thomas Garth's excavation of the cremation area, the cultural items 
are reasonably believed to be unassociated funerary objects. The three 
unassociated funerary objects are three adzes. (Whit-J-0100, 
Whit-J-0130, Whit-J-0132)
    The determination of cultural affiliation of the unassociated 
funerary objects described above has been based upon geographic, 
archeological, historical, ethnological, and linguistic evidence, as 
well as the oral tradition and kinship traditions of the Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon.
    Officials of the Northwest Museum have determined that, pursuant to 
25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(B), the 135 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 Northwest 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.

[[Page 47237]]

    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary objects should 
contact Dr. Nina Lerman, Northwest Museum, Whitman College, 345 Boyer 
Ave, Walla Walla, WA 99362, telephone (509) 527- 5798, before September 
12, 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.
    Northwest Museum is responsible for notifying the Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: July 14, 2008.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-18677 Filed 8-12-08; 8:45 am]
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