[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 81 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23583-23584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09900]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-17918; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington 
State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke 
Museum) has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation 
with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, 
and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the 
human remains 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 should 
submit a written request to the Burke Museum. If no additional 
requestors come forward, transfer of control of the human remains 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

[[Page 23584]]

Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the Burke 
Museum at the address in this notice by May 28, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 
353010, Seattle, WA 98195, telephone (206) 685-3849 x2, [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 under 
the control of the Burke Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 
The human remains were removed from Eliza Island, Whatcom County, WA.
    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. 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 Burke 
Museum professional staff in consultation with representatives of the 
Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation; the Nooksack Indian Tribe; and 
the Samish Indian Nation (previously listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, 
Washington).

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1964, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from 45-WH-61 on Eliza Island, Whatcom County, WA. These 
remains were found by Richard C. Anderson of Eastgate Realty Company 
while bulldozing for a runway on Eliza Island. The remains were brought 
to the Burke Museum for identification and then donated to the museum 
in 1965 (Burke Accn. #1965-27). No known individuals were identified. 
No funerary objects are present.
    The human remains have been determined to be Native American based 
on osteological and archeological evidence. Site 45-WH-61is a pre-
contact shell midden site on Eliza Island, a small island located less 
than a mile to the east of Lummi Island in Whatcom County, WA. 
Historical and anthropological sources state that Eliza Island is 
within the traditional territory of the Lummi (Amoss 1978, Stern 1934, 
Suttles 1951, and Termaine 1975). Lummi Island was determined by the 
Indian Claims Commission to be within the aboriginal territory of the 
Lummi. The Lummi were signatories to the 1855 Point Elliot Treaty and 
today are represented by the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation.

Determinations Made by the Burke Museum

    Officials of the Burke 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(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and the Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation.

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 should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to Peter 
Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 353010, Seattle, WA 
98195, telephone (206) 685-3849 x2, [email protected], by May 28, 2015. 
After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains to the Lummi Tribe of the 
Lummi Reservation may proceed.
    The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying the Lummi Tribe of 
the Lummi Reservation; the Nooksack Indian Tribe; and the Samish Indian 
Nation (previously listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, Washington) that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: February 26, 2015.
Melanie O'Brien,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-09900 Filed 4-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P