[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 235 (Wednesday, December 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65146-65147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-29297]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Inventory Completion: Southwest Museum of the American 
Indian at the Autry National Center of the American West, Los Angeles, 
CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 
Southwest Museum of the American Indian at the Autry National Center of 
the American West, Los Angeles, CA. The human remains were removed from 
Clark County, NV.
    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 
Southwest Museum of the American Indian at the Autry National Center of 
the American West professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation 
and Colony, Nevada, representing the Great Basin Inter-Tribal NAGPRA 
Coalition, a non-Federally recognized Indian coalition, consisting of 
the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada, a non-Federally recognized Indian 
group, and the following Federally-recognized Indian tribes: Battle 
Mountain Shoshone Tribe (Constituent band of the Te-Moak Tribe of 
Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada); Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of 
California; Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the Duckwater Reservation, 
Nevada; Ely Shoshone Tribe of Nevada; Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians 
of the Las Vegas Indian Colony, Nevada; Lovelock Paiute Tribe of the 
Lovelock Indian Colony, Nevada; Moapa Band of Paiutes of the Moapa 
River Indian Reservation, Nevada; Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Bishop 
Community of the Bishop Colony, California; Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of 
the Fallon Reservation and Colony, Nevada; Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, 
Nevada; Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation, Nevada; 
South Fork Band (Constituent band of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western 
Shoshone Indians of Nevada); Susanville Indian Rancheria, California; 
Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada; Washoe Tribe of 
Nevada and California; and Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the Yomba 
Reservation, Nevada.
    At an unknown time, human remains representing a minimum of one 
individual were removed from a cave near the Moapa reservation, in 
Clark County, NV. On May 23, 1939, Charles E. Cornelius donated the 
human remains to the Southwest Museum. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    The burial location in a cave suggests the human remains are Native 
American. Museum officials date the human remains from at least the 
19th century. Literature infers that since the 19th century, Southern 
Paiute burial practices changed from cremation to burials in caves or 
crevasses as a result of colonization. Both current literature and 
consultation with the Great Basin Inter-Tribal NAGPRA Coalition 
indicate that Paiutes have used caves for burials. Museum officials 
reasonably believe that the proximity of the burial near the Moapa 
reservation indicates the human remains are culturally affiliated with 
the Moapa Band of Paiutes of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, 
Nevada. This band has continually inhabited the Moapa Valley since at 
least the 19th century. Pursuant to Resolution No. 7-001, the Moapa 
Band of Paiutes of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada is a 
member of the Great Basin Inter-Tribal NAGPRA Coalition and agrees to 
have the Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, 
Nevada represent their NAGPRA claims and repatriate these human remains 
on their behalf.
    Officials of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian at the 
Autry National Center of the American West 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 Southwest Museum of the American Indian at 
the 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 Native 
American human remains and the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians of the 
Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact 
LaLe[ntilde]a Lewark, Senior NAGPRA Coordinator, Southwest

[[Page 65147]]

Museum of the American Indian, Autry National Center of the American 
West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027, telephone (323) 
667-2000, ext. 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 
ext., ext. 234, before January 8, 2010. Repatriation of the human 
remains to the Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and 
Colony, Nevada, representing the Moapa Band of Paiutes of the Moapa 
River Indian Reservation, Nevada, and the Great Basin Inter-Tribal 
NAGPRA Coalition, a non-Federally recognized Indian coalition, may 
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The Southwest Museum of the American Indian at the Autry National 
Center is responsible for notifying the Moapa Band of Paiutes of the 
Moapa River Indian Reservation, Nevada; Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the 
Fallon Reservation and Colony, Nevada; and the Great Basin Inter-Tribal 
NAGPRA Coalition, a non-Federally recognized Indian coalition, that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: October 15, 2009.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-29297 Filed 12-8-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S