[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 249 (Monday, December 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79506-79507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-30903]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington 
State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, 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 control of the 
Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke Museum), 
University of Washington, Seattle, WA. The human remains were removed 
from an unknown area in Puget Sound, 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. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.
    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Burke Museum 
and University of Washington professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the following Federally recognized tribes: the 
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington; 
Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, Washington; 
Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, Washington; Skokomish 
Indian Tribe of the Skokomish Reservation, Washington; Squaxin Island 
Tribe of the Squaxin Island Reservation, Washington; Suquamish Indian 
Tribe of the Port Madison Reservation, Washington; Swinomish Indians of 
the Swinomish Reservation, Washington; and Tulalip Tribes of the 
Tulalip Reservation, Washington.
    Sometime before 1913, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from Puget Sound, WA, by University of 
Washington Biology Professor Trevor Kincaid. The human remains were 
transferred to the Burke Museum in 1913 (Burke Accn. 993, Cat. 
3495). No known individual was identified. No associated 
funerary objects are present.
    Limited provenience information about the human remains is 
available. Professor Kincaid was a University of Washington biology 
professor and studied oyster farming throughout the state. Professor 
Kincaid conducted field work in such a large area, that the provenience 
of the human remains could not reasonably be identified more 
specifically than Puget Sound. Salt water barnacles were found on the 
cranium and clearly demonstrate the human remains were removed from a 
salt water context.
    The human remains are consistent with Native American morphology. 
Puget Sound is a broad geographic area, and falls within the Southern 
Lushootseed language group of Salish cultures. Puget Sound is within 
the usual and accustomed territory 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; Skokomish Indian Tribe of the Skokomish 
Reservation, Washington; Squaxin Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island 
Reservation, Washington; Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison 
Reservation, Washington; Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish 
Reservation, Washington; and Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, 
Washington, as defined by the 1855 Treaty of Medicine Creek, 1855 Point 
Elliot Treaty, and 1855 Treaty of Point-No-Point. Other ethnographic 
and legal documentation is consistent with this determination.
    Officials of the Burke 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 Burke 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 Native American human remains and 
the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Reservation, 
Washington; Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, 
Washington; Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, Washington; 
Skokomish Indian Tribe of the Skokomish Reservation, Washington; 
Squaxin Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island

[[Page 79507]]

Reservation, Washington; Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison 
Reservation, Washington; Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish 
Reservation, Washington; and Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, 
Washington. In consultation with the above affiliated groups, the 
Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, Washington has agreed to 
take the lead on the repatriation process on behalf of themselves, and 
the seven tribes listed above.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 353010, 
Seattle, WA 98195-3010, telephone (206) 685-2282, before January 28, 
2009. Repatriation of the human remains to the Puyallup Tribe of the 
Puyallup Reservation, Washington may proceed after that date if no 
additional claimants come forward.
    The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying the following 
Federally recognized tribes: the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the 
Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington; Nisqually Indian Tribe of the 
Nisqually Reservation, Washington; Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup 
Reservation, Washington; Skokomish Indian Tribe of the Skokomish 
Reservation, Washington; Squaxin Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island 
Reservation, Washington; Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Madison 
Reservation, Washington; Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish 
Reservation, Washington; and Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, 
Washington that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 25, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E8-30903 Filed 12-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S