[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 181 (Monday, September 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57287-57288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23406]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item: Oshkosh Public 
Museum, Oshkosh, WI

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 Oshkosh Public 
Museum, Oshkosh, WI, that meets the definition of unassociated funerary 
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 
item. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.
    The cultural item is a partially reconstructed and undecorated 
shell-tempered ceramic bowl, 8 cm high and 12 cm in diameter. The bowl 
was reconstructed and labeled ``47/WN/139 Vessel Q'' by the University 
of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. After reconstruction, the University returned the 
bowl to the landowner, Gerald Lee. According to the Wisconsin State 
site report (47-WN-139) the bowl is a small undecorated shell-tempered 
pot that was found in 1971. It was found in association with an adult 
burial on the property of Gerald Lee in Poygan, WI, and the burial was 
reburied at St. Thomas Cemetery, Omro, WI. The Oshkosh Public Museum 
accessioned the bowl on April 27, 2010, after Dennis Lee, son of Gerald 
Lee, donated the bowl to the museum.
    The Wisconsin State site report lists the cultural affiliation for 
the Gerald Lee site as Late Woodland, Oneota and Unknown Prehistoric. 
The vessel is identified as Oneota by Carol L. Mason in ``Site Survey 
of Upland and Endangered Areas of Winnebago and Green Lake Counties,'' 
(Reports of Investigations, Number 6, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 
1995, p. A-11).
    In response to notification letters sent by the Oshkosh Public 
Museum, the Ho-Chunk Nation has claimed the bowl. In support of their 
claim, the Ho-Chunk Nation stated that present-day archeology 
recognizes shell-tempered ceramics as Oneota in origin and strongly 
suggests that the Ho-chunk, Iowa, Otoe and Missouri are present-day 
descendents of the Oneota. The Ho-Chunk Nation further claim that their 
oral tradition coincides with an Oneota origin and that the Poygan,WI, 
area is part of the their aboriginal homeland.
    Officials of the Oshkosh Public Museum have determined that, 
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the one cultural item described above 
is 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 is believed, by preponderance of the evidence, to have 
been removed from a specific burial site of a Native American 
individual. Officials of the Oshkosh Public 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 object and the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin; Iowa Tribe of 
Kansas and Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma; Otoe-Missouria Tribe of 
Indians, Oklahoma; and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the unassociated funerary

[[Page 57288]]

object should contact Joan Lloyd, Oshkosh Public Museum, 1331 Algoma 
Blvd., Oshkosh, WI 54901, telephone (920) 236-5766, before October 20, 
2010. Repatriation of the unassociated funerary object to the Ho-Chunk 
Nation of Wisconsin may proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The Oshkosh Public Museum is responsible for notifying the Ho-Chunk 
Nation of Wisconsin; Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska; Iowa Tribe of 
Oklahoma; Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin; Otoe-Missouria Tribe of 
Indians, Oklahoma; and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: September 10, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-23406 Filed 9-17-10; 8:45 am]
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