[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 175 (Wednesday, September 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53749-53750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21531]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-16306; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Army, 
Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum, Fort Sill, OK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum has 
completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary 
objects, in consultation with the appropriate

[[Page 53750]]

Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, and has determined that 
there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and 
associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes or Native 
Hawaiian organizations. Lineal descendants or representatives of any 
Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this 
notice that wish to request transfer of control of these human remains 
and associated funerary objects should submit a written request to the 
Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum. If no additional 
requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects 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 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and 
Museum at the address in this notice by October 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Scott A. Neel, Director, Fort Sill National Historic 
Landmark and Museum, U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, 
OK 73503, telephone (580) 442-6570, 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. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the Fort Sill National 
Historic Landmark and Museum, Fort Sill, OK.
    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 human remains and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the Fort 
Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum and Fort Sill Environmental 
Quality Division professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Caddo Nation of 
Oklahoma; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as 
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma); Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; 
Delaware Nation, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa 
Indian Tribe of Oklahoma; The Chickasaw Nation; and the Wichita and 
Affiliated Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma.

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1966, Morgan Otis died in a car accident in California, and he 
was interred in the Fort Sill Post Cemetery shortly thereafter. A 
collection of items were recovered from the vehicle and later sent to 
the Fort Sill Museum where Morgan Otis was a volunteer honorary 
associate curator. There is no documentary evidence concerning how and 
when these items entered the museum's collections. Human teeth 
representing, at minimum, one individual were included in the 
collection. Morgan Otis was the great nephew of Chief Big-Bow, a Kiowa 
Chief, and documentation records his ancestry as Kiowa. Historical 
records also indicate that he was also related to Spotted Wolf, who was 
Southern Arapaho. No lineal descendents have been identified. The 322 
associated funerary objects consist of 311 beads of various types and 
colors, 1 ceramic disk, 1 metal key, 2 buttons, 2 metal tokens, 3 
copper rings and 2 copper bracelets.

Determinations Made by the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and 
Museum

    Officials of the Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum 
have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 322 objects 
described in this notice 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and associated funerary objects and the Cheyenne 
and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as Cheyenne-Arapaho 
Tribes of Oklahoma) and the Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Dr. Scott A. Neel, Director, Fort Sill 
National Historic Landmark and Museum, U.S. Army Fires Center of 
Excellence, Fort Sill, OK 73503, telephone (580) 442-6570, email 
[email protected], by October 10, 2014. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Cheyenne and 
Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes 
of Oklahoma) and the Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma may proceed.
    The Fort Sill National Historic Landmark and Museum is responsible 
for notifying the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Caddo Nation of Oklahoma; 
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Oklahoma (previously listed as Cheyenne-
Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma); Comanche Nation, Oklahoma; Delaware 
Nation, Oklahoma; Fort Sill Apache Tribe of Oklahoma; Kiowa Indian 
Tribe of Oklahoma; The Chickasaw Nation; and the Wichita and Affiliated 
Tribes (Wichita, Keechi, Waco & Tawakonie), Oklahoma, that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: July 17, 2014.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2014-21531 Filed 9-9-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-P