[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13624-13625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5578]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2253-665]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, Lakewood, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, 
in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribe, has determined that 
the cultural items listed below meet the definition of sacred objects 
and object of cultural patrimony and repatriation to the Indian tribe 
stated below may occur if no additional claimants come forward. 
Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with the cultural items may contact the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement.

DATES: Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes it has a 
cultural affiliation with the cultural items should contact the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, at the address 
below by April 6, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Office of Law Enforcement, 134 Union Blvd., Room 550, Lakewood, CO 
80228, telephone (303) 236-7540.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 27 cultural items in the 
possession of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law 
Enforcement, that meet the definition of sacred objects and object of

[[Page 13625]]

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 U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. The National Park 
Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    These items came into the possession and control of the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Office of Law Enforcement, pursuant to a 
criminal investigation. Items 1-60 were forfeited to the U.S. 
Government by the U.S. Customs Service in separate forfeiture actions 
in January, February and March 2001. These items were transferred to 
the USFWS on August 21, 2001. Items 61-69 were abandoned to the USFWS 
on November 15, 2001. All objects listed below were either seized or 
abandoned from various private collectors or a public museum pursuant 
to Federal criminal investigations, which are now complete.
    USFWS contracted with expert consultants to review the collection 
and consulted with 11 tribes having interest or affiliation in the 
objects. Three tribes filed claims requesting repatriation of objects 
from the collection. Upon review, the USFWS determined that 27 of the 
objects are subject to repatriation to the Blackfeet Tribe of the 
Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana. The 27 sacred objects are Item 
1: All Brave-Dog society rattle; Item 2: bird bone whistle; Item 3: 
man's straight-up headdress; Item 4: man's headdress; Items 7 and 12: 
eagle bone whistle; Item 15: dance club; Item 16: dance staff; Items 
23-25: replica Natoas sundance headdress; Item 27: eagle tail feathers; 
Item 34: medicine pipe owner's headband and hair feathers; Item 35: 
replica of the Little Dog Thunder medicine pipe; Item 36: replica of 
the secondary pipe from a medicine pipe bundle; Item 37: eagle feather 
headdress; Item 38: rawhide cylindrical case with replica bear knife 
medicine bundle; Items 44 and 47: war bonnet; Item 48: straight-up 
bonnet; Items 49 and 53: Brave Dog Society rattles; Item 55: weasel 
tail shirt; Item 56: buckskin leggings; Item 64: eagle feather 
headdress; Item 65: medicine bundle; and Item 69: leather tipi bag and 
contents. Item 16 (dance staff) is both a sacred object and an object 
of cultural patrimony.

Determinations Made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of 
Law Enforcement

    Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the USFWS 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C), 26 of the cultural items 
described above are specific ceremonial objects needed by traditional 
Native American religious leaders for the practice of traditional 
Native American religions by their present-day adherents.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C) and 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(D), 
one of the cultural items 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, and has ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural 
importance central to the Native American group or culture itself, 
rather than property owned by an individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 27 
cultural objects and the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian 
Reservation of Montana.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to 
be culturally affiliated with these sacred objects and object of 
cultural patrimony should contact the Special Agent in Charge, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, 134 Union Blvd., 
Room 550, Lakewood, CO 80228; telephone (303) 236-7540, April 6, 2012. 
Repatriation of the sacred objects and object of cultural patrimony to 
the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana may 
proceed after that date if no additional claimants come forward.
    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement, 
Lakewood, CO, is responsible for notifying the Blackfeet Tribe of the 
Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: March 2, 2012.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2012-5578 Filed 3-6-12; 8:45 am]
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