[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 10, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21413-21414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-08367]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-12546; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: The Field Museum 
of Natural History, Chicago, IL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Field Museum of Natural History, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has 
determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the 
definition of sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony. Lineal 
descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim these 
cultural items should submit a written request to The Field Museum of 
Natural History. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of 
control of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, 
or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to The Field Museum of Natural 
History at the address in this notice by May 10, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Helen Robbins, Repatriation Director, The Field Museum, 1400 
South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, telephone (312) 665-7317.

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 cultural items under the 
control of The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, that meet 
the definition of sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony 
under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative

[[Page 21414]]

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 cultural 
items. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    The 90 cultural items consist of Western Apache ceremonial items 
collected at the San Carlos Apache Reservation and White Mountain 
Apache Reservation in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The items to be 
repatriated come from four separate Field Museum accessions.
    Of the 90 requested cultural items, 21 items come from Field Museum 
accession 769. Charles Owen, acting on behalf of The Field Museum of 
Natural History, purchased these 21 items from various individuals on 
the White Mountain Apache Reservation, Arizona, in the spring of 1901, 
during a Field Columbian Museum expedition to the Southwest. The 
requested items include 8 medicine hats, 5 buckskin medicine shirts, 3 
cradle charms/ornaments, 1 necklace, 1 wristlet of medicine beads, 2 
medicine shields, and 1 medicine cord with a wooden figure.
    Of the 90 requested cultural items, 67 items come from Field Museum 
accession 847. Charles Owen purchased these 67 items from various 
individuals on the White Mountain Apache and San Carlos Reservations 
during a 1903 Field Columbian Museum expedition to the Southwest. The 
requested items include 11 medicine strings, 18 painted medicine shirts 
and buckskins, 12 medicine hats, 7 necklaces, 4 wooden figures, 3 
amulets, 2 medicine rings, 2 buckskin bags with wooden figures, 2 
wristlets, 1 necklace and bag, 1 group of 12 eagle breath feathers, 1 
hunting charm, 1 medicine shield, 1 medicine stick, and 1 wooden 
medicine cross.
    Of the 90 requested cultural items, one item comes from Field 
Museum accession 895. This item was purchased by the Field Columbian 
Museum in 1904, in Chicago, from an individual identified as Apache. 
This item is a wooden figure, and is identified in collection records 
as an ``Apache's Medicine-man's effigy.'' Charles Owen had previously 
seen the figure on the Apache Reservation during one of his expeditions 
in 1901 or 1903, but had been unable to purchase it for lack of funds.
    Of the 90 requested cultural items, one item comes from Field 
Museum accession 1926. The Field Museum of Natural History accessioned 
this item in 1931, receiving it as a gift from Mrs. A. Shreve Badger of 
Chicago. This item is identified in collection records as a ``medicine 
man's hat.'' According to donor information, the hat was originally 
collected on the Fort Apache Reservation in 1884 or 1885.
    The 90 cultural items have been identified as Native American 
sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony through museum 
records, scholarly publications, primary documents, consultation 
information, and testimony provided by representatives of the Western 
Apache NAGPRA Working group, a consortium of the San Carlos Apache 
Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of 
Arizona; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, 
Arizona; and the Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian 
Reservation, Arizona.

Determinations Made by The Field Museum of Natural History

    Officials of The Field Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C), the 90 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)(D), the 90 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 90 
cultural items and the San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain 
Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; and the Yavapai-
Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Helen Robbins, Repatriation Director, The 
Field Museum, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, telephone 
(312) 665-7317, by May 10, 2013. After that date, if no additional 
claimants have come forward, transfer of control of the sacred objects 
and objects of cultural patrimony through the Western Apache NAGPRA 
Working Group, to the San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos 
Reservation, Arizona; Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain 
Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona; and Yavapai-
Apache Nation of the Camp Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona, may 
proceed.
    The Field Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying 
the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona; 
Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Jicarilla Apache Nation, New 
Mexico; Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Reservation, New 
Mexico; San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona; 
Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona; White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort 
Apache Reservation, Arizona; and the Yavapai-Apache Nation of the Camp 
Verde Indian Reservation, Arizona, that this notice has been published.

    Dated: March 11, 2013.
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2013-08367 Filed 4-9-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P