[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52503-52504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-24594]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, DC and New York University 
College of Dentistry, New York, NY

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 U.S. 
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington, DC, 
and in the physical custody of the New York University College of 
Dentistry, New York, NY. The human remains were removed from a village 
at Waacht, on the Makah Indian Reservation, Clallam County, 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 the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs and New York University College of Dentistry 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Makah 
Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation, Washington.
    In January 1921, human remains representing one individual were 
removed from an unoccupied house at Waacht, on the Makah Indian 
Reservation, Neah Bay, Clallam County, WA, by T.T. Waterman. That same 
year, Waterman donated the human remains to the Museum of the American 
Indian, Heye Foundation. In 1956, the Museum of the American Indian 
transferred the human remains to Dr. Theodore Kazamiroff, New York 
University College of Dentistry. No known individual was identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    Waterman's notes indicate that the human remains were removed from 
a deserted house at the west end of Waacht. Based on Waterman's 
description of the house, it has been determined that the human remains 
were removed from tribal lands. In this house, Waterman found the 
cranial remains of two individuals in a wooden case. One of the 
individuals, an adult,

[[Page 52504]]

was associated with whaling objects. The other individual was a 
juvenile. Forensic examination identified the individual in the 
possession of the College of Dentistry as the remains of a child. 
Basketry in the wooden case and elsewhere in the house were identified 
as the craftwork of Dase'LtEb. Waterman concluded that the human 
remains of the adult were those of Mr. McCarty, the husband of 
Dase'LtEb. Although Waterman's records name the adult as Mr. McCarty, 
they do not name the juvenile. Tribal representatives discussed this 
matter with members of the McCarty family. Information provided by 
members of the McCarty family indicates that the human remains of the 
child may belong to a nephew of Mr. McCarty, but no lineal descendants 
have been identified.
    Officials of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and New York University 
College of Dentistry 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 
Bureau of Indian Affairs and New York University College of Dentistry 
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 Makah Indian Tribe of 
the Makah Indian Reservation, Washington.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Dr. 
Louis Terracio, New York University College of Dentistry, 345 East 24th 
St., New York, NY 10010, telephone (212) 998-9917, before November 12, 
2009. Repatriation of the human remains to the Makah Indian Tribe of 
the Makah Indian Reservation, Washington may proceed after that date if 
no additional claimants come forward.
    New York University College of Dentistry and the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs are responsible for notifying the Makah Indian Tribe of the 
Makah Indian Reservation, Washington that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: September 8, 2009
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-24594 Filed 10-9-09; 8:45 am]
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