[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 144 (Monday, July 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43778-43779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17735]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-16152; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: U.S. Department of 
the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office, Santa 
Fe, NM

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office, 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 
Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office. 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

[[Page 43779]]

the Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office at the address 
in this notice by August 27, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Mr. Jesse Juen, State Director, Bureau of Land Management, 
New Mexico State Office, P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, NM 87502-0115, 
telephone (505) 954-2222.

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 Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office, 
Santa Fe, NM, 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 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

    In 2013, four cultural items were relinquished to the BLM by an 
individual investigated as part of a law enforcement action. The 
cultural items include a Tsa'kwayna Katsina Friend (mask), Raven Bride 
Katsina Friend (mask), Nataska Ogre Katsina Friend (mask), and a One-
Horn ritual headdress. The Katsina Friends (masks) consist of painted 
wood, cloth, leather, and feathers. The headdress consists of a painted 
gourd. They were acquired pursuant to a search warrant and through 
undercover purchase operations in 2008 and 2009 by BLM law enforcement 
agents as part of a multi-state investigation into the trafficking of 
artifacts and cultural materials code-named ``Cerberus Action.'' During 
the course of the ensuing criminal investigation, the Hopi Tribe of 
Arizona was contacted by law enforcement agents, and in subsequent 
meetings, members of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona identified the 
confiscated materials as sacred objects and objects of cultural 
patrimony. This information was needed to pursue prosecution under the 
criminal penalties for violating NAGPRA. Ultimately, the Department of 
Justice declined to prosecute and pursued several non-prosecution 
agreements that included relinquishment of some of the confiscated 
materials, including these four sacred objects/objects of cultural 
patrimony.
    Tribal cultural authorities of the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico; the 
Hopi Tribe of Arizona; the Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico; and the Zuni 
Tribe of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico, were contacted by BLM 
cultural resources staff, and the Hopi Tribe of Arizona identified the 
objects as sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony eligible 
for repatriation under NAGPRA. The tribal cultural authorities 
recognized the materials used in the construction of the objects, as 
well as the objects' style and type. Consequently, these tribal 
consultants were able to determine that the items are culturally 
affiliated specifically with the Hopi Tribe of Arizona.

Determinations Made by the Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State 
Office

    Officials of the Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C), the four 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 four 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 four 
sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony and the Hopi Tribe of 
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 Mr. Jesse Juen, State Director, Bureau of 
Land Management, New Mexico State Office, P.O. Box 27115, Santa Fe, NM 
87502-0115, telephone (505) 954-2222, by August 27, 2014. After that 
date, if no additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control 
of the sacred objects/objects of cultural patrimony to the Hopi Tribe 
of Arizona may proceed.
    The Bureau of Land Management, New Mexico State Office is 
responsible for notifying the Hopi Tribe of Arizona, the Pueblo of 
Acoma, New Mexico; the Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico, and the Zuni Tribe 
of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico that this notice has been 
published.

    Dated: July 2, 2014.
David Tarler,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-17735 Filed 7-25-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P