[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 185 (Friday, September 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 58426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23930]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: Thomas Gilcrease 
Institute of American History and Art, Tulsa, OK

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 cultural items in the possession of the Thomas Gilcrease 
Institute of American History and Art (Gilcrease Museum), Tulsa, OK, 
that meet the definition of objects of cultural patrimony 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 nine cultural items are Waxo'be bundles belonging to the Osage 
people. The bundles were part of the Emil Lenders Collection that was 
brought to the Gilcrease Museum during the early half of the 20th 
Century. The bundles were part of a sizeable collection of Native 
American artifacts acquired by the Gilcrease Museum for the 
preservation of North American history.
    The first bundle is made of buckskin with a scalp lock and twisted 
wool that are seen from the open end (84.1749). The second bundle has a 
long buckskin strap for an Osage War bundle that has an eagle foot and 
human scalp attached (84.1750 a-h). The third bundle is made with a 
wrapped buckskin strap that ties a woven buffalo hair bag with eagle 
foot and human scalp attached (84.1751 a-i). The fourth bundle is made 
of buckskin and laced at the ends with buckskin thongs, buckskin tying 
strap, and a woven inner bag (84.1753 a-b). The fifth bundle is made of 
buckskin and contains a partially woven inner bag and woven buffalo 
hair bag and tied with two leather thongs (84.1754). The sixth bundle 
has an outer strip and an outer bag, as well as two inner bags, and a 
buckskin strap for tying prisoners (84.1757 a-i). The seventh bundle 
has an outer bag of woven buffalo hair with an inner bag made of 
buckskin with a woven mat inside (84.1759). The outer strap has animal 
hair and human scalp locks on buckskin with a rawhide ring tied on the 
bundle with calico. The eighth bundle has an outer covering of woven 
matting with borders of natural, black and red eagle quills (84.1761). 
The ninth bundle has an outer bag of woven buffalo hair with an inner 
bag of buckskin and woven mat inside. The outer strap is animal hair 
and human scalp locks on buckskin (84.1762).
    Waxo'be bundles and their components have on-going historical and 
cultural importance to the Osage people. They are also owned by the 
Osage people and not by any single individual. In the past, bundles and 
their components were the central symbolic elements of ceremonies 
related to Osage cosmology, the traditional religion practiced before 
adoption of the Native American Church by the Osage. While these 
specific ceremonies related to Osage cosmology are no longer practiced 
today, bundles and their components continue to hold immense spiritual 
significance and sacred power for the Osage people requiring protection 
of these objects and extremely limited exposure.
    Officials of the Gilcrease Museum have determined that, pursuant to 
25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(D), the nine cultural items described above have 
ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the 
Native American group or culture itself, rather than property owned by 
an individual. Officials of the Gilcrease 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 objects of 
cultural patrimony and the Osage Nation, Oklahoma.
    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with the objects of cultural patrimony should 
contact Dr. Duane H. King, Executive Director, or Eric Singleton, 
Assistant Curator of Anthropology, Gilcrease Museum, 1400 N. Gilcrease 
Museum Rd., Tulsa, OK 74127, telephone (918) 596-2793 before October 
25, 2010. Repatriation of the objects of cultural patrimony to the 
Osage Nation, Oklahoma, will proceed after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
    The Gilcrease Museum is responsible for notifying the Osage Nation, 
Oklahoma, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: September 10, 2010
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-23930 Filed 9-23-10; 8:45 am]
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