[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 25, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 12893]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-6511]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent To Repatriate a Cultural Item: Southwest Museum 
of the American Indian, Autry National Center of the American West, Los 
Angeles, CA

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 a cultural item in the possession of the Southwest Museum 
of the American Indian, Autry National Center of the American West, Los 
Angeles, CA, that meets the definition of ``sacred object'' 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.
    The one cultural item is a wooden Kickapoo Prayer Stick (object 
number 2006.85.11). There are symbolic images on the front of the stick 
and a sticker on the back reads ``Kickapoo Indians/from Kansas/Prayer 
stick.'' The museum acquired the cultural item from an anonymous donor 
in 2006. In an unknown year, the donor received the object from a Mr. 
Robert Babcock, owner of an ``Indian Curio'' shop located in Beverly 
Hills, CA. It is unknown how Mr. Babcock obtained the cultural item.
    The Prayer Stick is used in the Kennekuk religion, which is one of 
the traditional religions of the Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the 
Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas. The Kennekuk religion is derived from a 
tribal bandleader, Kennekuk, who began the religion in the early 19th 
century. The Kickapoo are originally from the Ohio and Southern 
Michigan area between Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. From the mid 1600s 
to the early 1800s, the Kickapoo tribe moved west to Indiana and then 
to Illinois. In the early 1800s, many Kickapoo bands traveled to 
various places within the United States and Northern Mexico. Kennekuk 
remained in western Illinois with his followers. In 1832, his band 
along with another band from Missouri signed the Treaty of Castor Hill, 
which created a reservation in northeastern Kansas. The Missouri band 
eventually left the reservation, while Kennekuk's band remained. Thus, 
this religion and this Prayer Stick is specific to the Kickapoo Tribe 
of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas.
    The symbols on the Prayer Stick represent prayers said by religious 
leaders and Kennekuk followers for individuals, other members of the 
religion, and tribal members. This object is intricately tied to the 
practice of the Kennekuk religion. Additionally, the icons are also 
derived from Kickapoo traditional culture. During consultation, members 
of the Kennekuk religion have identified this Prayer Stick as authentic 
and needed for the continual use of the religion.
    Officials of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, Autry 
National Center of the American West have determined that, pursuant to 
25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(C), the one cultural item described above is a 
specific ceremonial object needed by traditional Native American 
religious leaders for the practice of traditional Native American 
religions by their present-day adherents. Officials of the Southwest 
Museum of the American Indian, Autry National Center of the American 
West 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 sacred object and the Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of 
the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the sacred object should contact LaLena 
Lewark, NAGPRA Senior Coordinator, Southwest Museum of the American 
Indian, Autry National Center of the American West, 4700 Western 
Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027, telephone (323) 667-2000, 
extension 220, or Steven M. Karr, Ph.D., Ahmanson Curator of History 
and Culture and Interim Executive Director for the Southwest Museum of 
the American Indian, Autry National Center of the American West, 234 
Museum Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065, telephone (323) 221-2164, before 
April 24, 2009. Repatriation of the sacred object to the Kickapoo Tribe 
of Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas may proceed after that 
date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Southwest Museum of the American Indian, Autry National Center 
of the American West is responsible for notifying the Kickapoo Tribe of 
Indians of the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas, Kickapoo Tribe of 
Oklahoma, and Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas that this notice has 
been published.

    Dated: March 6, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-6511 Filed 3-24-09; 8:45 am]
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