[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 121 (Tuesday, June 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35787-35789]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14748]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-15868; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Department of 
the Interior, National Park Service, Whitman Mission National Historic 
Site, Walla Walla, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 
Whitman Mission National Historic Site, 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 unassociated funerary objects. 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 Whitman Mission National Historic 
Site. 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 Whitman Mission National 
Historic Site at the address in this notice by July 24, 2014.

[[Page 35788]]


ADDRESSES: Timothy Nitz, Superintendent, Whitman Mission National 
Historic Site, 328 Whitman Mission Road, Walla Walla, WA 99362, 
telephone (509) 522-6360, email [email protected].

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 U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 
Whitman Mission National Historic Site, Walla Walla, WA, that meet the 
definition of unassociated funerary objects 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 
Superintendent, Whitman Mission National Historic Site.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    At an unknown date, two cultural items were removed from site 45-
WW-5 in Walla Walla County, WA. The disposition of the human remains is 
unknown. The two unassociated funerary objects are stone scrapers.
    At unknown dates, 14 cultural items were removed from the McNary 
Dam inundation area in Benton County, WA, and Umatilla County, OR. The 
disposition of the human remains is unknown. The 14 unassociated 
funerary objects are 4 stone pestles, 1 stone knife blade, 2 stone 
scrapers, 1 stone net sinker, 2 polished stone fragments, 2 stone 
flakes, 1 stone fragment, and 1 projectile point.
    At unknown dates, 46 cultural items were removed from site 45-BN-3 
in Benton County, WA. The human remains were repatriated to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) 
in 1992. The 46 unassociated funerary objects are 20 glass beads, 13 
copper tube beads, 2 knife blades, 1 copper tube, 5 dentalia shells, 
and 5 seashells.
    At an unknown date, seven cultural items were removed from unknown 
locations, likely in Benton or Walla Walla County, WA, and/or Umatilla 
County, OR. The disposition of the human remains is unknown. The seven 
unassociated funerary objects are three stone net sinkers, three animal 
rib bone fragments, and one stone pestle.
    In 1946, 434 cultural items were removed from site 45-WW-6 in Walla 
Walla County, WA. The human remains were repatriated to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) 
in 1992. The 434 unassociated funerary objects are 1 copper percussion 
cap, 1 arrowhead, 6 dentalia shell fragments, 1 small river clamshell, 
415 glass beads, 7 glass bead fragments, and 3 turquoise pony beads.
    In 1947, one cultural item was removed from an unknown location on 
the Columbia River in Walla Walla County, WA. The disposition of the 
human remains is unknown. The one unassociated funerary object is a 
stone net sinker.
    In 1947 and 1948, five cultural items were removed from unknown 
sites near Whitman Mission National Historic Site in Walla Walla 
County, WA. The disposition of the human remains is unknown. The five 
unassociated funerary objects are stone pestles.
    In 1948, 28 cultural items were removed from site 45-BN-16 in 
Benton County, WA. The human remains were repatriated to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) 
in 1992. The 28 unassociated funerary objects are 27 fragments of a 
twined bag and 1 bag of hemp fibers and ash.
    In 1949, ten cultural items were removed from site 45-WW-6 in Walla 
Walla County, WA. The human remains were repatriated to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) 
in 1992. The ten unassociated funerary objects are one obsidian flake 
and nine iron fragments.
    In 1949, 36 cultural items were removed from site 45-BN-55 in 
Benton County, WA. Some of the human remains were repatriated to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) 
in 1992. The disposition of other human remains is unknown. The 36 
unassociated funerary objects are 1 lot of shell fragments, 1 piece of 
charred wood, 1 cylindrical stone fragment, 2 charred wood gaming stick 
pieces, 1 worked stone, 1 basalt hand adze, 2 shell pendants, 10 pieces 
of reddish clay, 1 rectangular flint pendant, 4 projectile points, 10 
dentalia shell fragments, 1 stone bead, and 1 projectile point 
fragment.
    In 1949, 154 cultural items were removed from site 45-BN-3 in 
Benton County, WA. The human remains were repatriated to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) 
in 1992. The 154 unassociated funerary objects are 6 shell beads, 44 
glass beads, 1 bone bead, 23 beads, 1 basalt pendant, 1 stone net 
sinker, 1 bead fragment, 1 button, 1 projectile point, 1 copper tube, 2 
copper pendants, 1 burned shell fragment, 2 bone awl tips, 68 copper 
beads, and 1 scissor handle fragment.
    In 1950, 218 cultural items were removed from site 45-BN-55 in 
Benton County, WA. The disposition of the human remains is unknown. The 
218 unassociated funerary objects are 14 projectile points, 2 obsidian 
knives, 1 flint drill, 105 wampum shells, 58 glass trade beads, 6 bone 
awls, 2 bone hairpins, 3 bone scrapers, 4 bone tools, 2 bone 
perforators, 2 fragments of wood, 1 thin sheet of quartz, 2 soapstone 
cloud blower pipes, 4 soapstone cloud blower pipe fragments, 2 red clay 
cloud blower pipe fragments, 5 stone flakes, 2 stone blades, 1 stone 
scraper, 1 flaked stone, and 1 projectile point fragment.
    In 1950, seven cultural items were removed from site 45-BN-3 in 
Benton County, WA. The human remains were repatriated to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) 
in 1992. The seven unassociated funerary objects are one snail shell, 
one iron ring, two arrow shaft smoother fragments, one projectile point 
fragment, one copper button, and one rolled tubular copper bead.
    In 1950, one cultural item was removed from Yellipat's Village in 
Benton County, WA. The disposition of the human remains is unknown. The 
one unassociated funerary object is a chalcedony scraper or chopper.
    The unassociated funerary objects were removed by National Park 
Service archeologist, Thomas R. Garth, in the late 1940s and early 
1950s in the course of fieldwork in the region that includes the 
confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers as well as sites associated 
with Whitman Mission National Historic Site. Given that Garth was duty-
stationed at Whitman Mission National Historic Site and that his work 
centered on the local region, it is probable that the cultural items 
for which specific site information is lacking came from sites in the 
same area. Some items have been in the care of Whitman Mission National 
Historic Site from their excavation to the present time. Others were 
stored at Whitman College, the Burke Museum of Natural History and 
Culture, and Fort Vancouver National Historic Site prior

[[Page 35789]]

to being returned to Whitman Mission National Historic Site.
    The region within which these sites are located is home to peoples 
and groups of ancient stability, with no evidence of much relocation or 
realignment over recent centuries until the arrival of non-native 
immigrants in the early 19th century. Information provided during 
consultation by representatives of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of 
the Yakama Nation; Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation; 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon); 
Nez Perce Tribe (previously listed as the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho) 
(hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes''); and Wanapum, a non-Federally 
recognized Indian group, indicates that the people occupying the area 
prior to European contact were highly mobile and traveled the landscape 
to gather resources as well as trade, and are part of the more broadly 
defined Plateau cultural community.
    Several of the sites and areas from which the cultural items were 
removed were inundated by the creation of Lake Wallula, behind McNary 
Dam on the Columbia River just below its confluence with the Snake 
River. Prior to inundation, these islands and riparian sites were 
important cemeteries, village sites, and fishing stations associated 
with the Walla Walla, Cayuse, and Umatilla peoples. The Cayuse people 
occupied, and the Walla Walla people are associated with, the area 
surrounding Whitman Mission National Historic Site. In addition, 
historical Walla Walla leaders are specifically associated with site 
45-WW-6 and Yellipat's Village. All of these sites and areas are 
located within the lands ceded by the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously listed as the Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon).
    Ethnographic documentation indicates that the region surrounding 
the confluence of Columbia and Snake Rivers is within overlapping 
territory of the Cayuse, Palouse, Yakama, and Walla Walla, whose 
descendants are members of The Tribes and Wanapum, a non-Federally 
recognized Indian group.

Determinations Made By Whitman Mission National Historic Site

    Officials of Whitman Mission National Historic Site have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 963 cultural items 
described above are 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 are believed, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, to have been removed from a specific burial site of a Native 
American individual.
     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 objects and The Tribes. Furthermore, there is a 
cultural relationship between the unassociated funerary objects and the 
Wanapum, a non-Federally recognized Indian group.

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 Timothy Nitz, Superintendent, Whitman 
Mission National Historic Site, 328 Whitman Mission Road, Walla Walla, 
WA 99362, telephone (509) 522-6360, email [email protected], 
by July 24, 2014. After that date, if no additional claimants have come 
forward, transfer of control of the unassociated funerary objects to 
The Tribes may proceed.
    Whitman Mission National Historic Site is responsible for notifying 
The Tribes and Wanapum, a non-Federally recognized Indian group, that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 27, 2014.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-14748 Filed 6-23-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P