[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 804-805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00076]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-19830; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington 
State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, and Washington 
State Parks and Recreation Commission, Olympia, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke 
Museum) and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (State 
Parks) have completed an inventory of human remains and an associated 
funerary object, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or 
Native Hawaiian organizations, and have determined that there is no 
cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary 
object and any

[[Page 805]]

present-day Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations. 
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 object should submit a 
written request to the Burke Museum. If no additional requestors come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary object to the Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations 
stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: 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 
object should submit a written request with information in support of 
the request to the Burke Museum at the address in this notice by 
February 8, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 
353010, Seattle, WA 98195, telephone (206) 685-3849x2, [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 object under the control of the Burke Museum, 
University of Washington, Seattle, WA. The human remains and associated 
funerary object were probably removed from the northern Puget Sound 
region, WA.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003(d)(3) and 
43 CFR 10.11(d). 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 
object. 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 Lummi 
Tribe of the Lummi Reservation; Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (previously 
listed as the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Reservation, 
Washington); Nooksack Indian Tribe; Samish Indian Nation (previously 
listed as the Samish Indian Tribe, Washington); Sauk-Suiattle Indian 
Tribe; Snoqualmie Indian Tribe (previously listed as the Snoqualmie 
Tribe, Washington); Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington 
(previously listed as the Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington); Suquamish 
Indian Tribe of the Port Madison Reservation; Swinomish Indian Tribal 
Community (previously listed as the Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish 
Reservation of Washington); Tulalip Tribes of Washington (previously 
listed as the Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, Washington); 
and Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, (hereafter referred to as ``The 
Tribes'').

History and Description of the Remains

    Prior to 1995, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were probably removed from a shell midden in the northern 
Puget Sound region, WA, possibly from the 45-SK-7 archaeological site 
in Skagit County, WA. These human remains were identified in 1995 while 
completing an inventory for NAGPRA compliance. These human remains and 
associated funerary object were found in a box with a yellow Post-It 
note with ``45-SK-7?'' written on it. Also in the box were four human 
bones, one from King County and three from Siberia, identified by the 
catalog numbers written on them. While there is no known concrete 
documentation indicating the human remains were ever removed from 45-
SK-7, human remains have been found in adjacent sites, and are commonly 
found in shell middens in the northern Puget Sound region. These human 
remains and funerary object are consistent with other burials from this 
area, therefor the Burke Museum feels these are most likely from that 
region. The Burke Museum is unable to make a cultural affiliation due 
to the lack of context and exact location information from which the 
burial was removed. Site 45-SK-7 is located on State Parks land. No 
known individuals were identified. The one associated funerary object 
is a lot of animal bone, shell and wood.

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 are Native American based on osteological evidence and 
museum collecting and accessioning history.
     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 one lot of objects 
described in this notice is 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), a relationship of shared 
group identity cannot be reasonably traced between the Native American 
human remains and associated funerary object and any present-day Indian 
tribe.
     Treaties, Acts of Congress, or Executive Orders, indicate 
that the land from which the Native American human remains and 
associated funerary object were removed is the aboriginal land of The 
Tribes. The Treaty of Point Elliot was signed on January 22, 1855 by 
representatives from The Tribes whose ceded aboriginal land includes 
the northern Puget Sound region.
     Pursuant to 43 CFR 10.11(c)(1), the disposition of the 
human remains and one associated funerary object may be to The Tribes.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    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 object 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) 685-3849x2, [email protected].by February 8, 2016. 
After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains and associated funerary object 
to The Tribes may proceed.
    The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying The Tribes that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: November 19, 2015.
Amberleigh Malone,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-00076 Filed 1-6-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P