[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 5, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19620-19621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-07758]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-20506; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Grand Rapids 
Public Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Grand Rapids Public Museum 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 the Grand Rapids Public Museum. 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 the Grand Rapids Public Museum 
at the address in this notice by May 5, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Andrea Melvin, Collections Curator, Grand Rapids Public 
Museum, 272 Pearl Street NW., Grand Rapids, MI 49506, telephone (616) 
929-1808, email [email protected].

[[Page 19621]]


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 Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids, MI, 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 
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 Item(s)

    On an unknown date, one unassociated funerary object was removed 
from a Native American grave in Umatilla County, OR. It was acquired by 
the Grand Rapids Public Museum from the Ruth Herrick Estate on 
September 10, 1974. The object is a string of 25 olivella shell beads 
together with an attached note from the collector stating, ``from an 
Indian grave near Umatilla, Oregon on Columbia River.'' Digital images 
of the object were reviewed by The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Indian Reservation's Preservation Department. It was determined that 
the beads were excavated from the burial area of the 
Imatalaml[aacute]ma (Umatilla) which was located on the Columbia River 
and at the mouth of the Umatilla River. As the human remains with which 
the beads were placed are not known to be in the possession or control 
of any Federal agency or museum, the beads are therefore unassociated 
funerary objects culturally affiliated with the Umatilla Tribes. During 
consultation, the Umatilla Tribes provided ethnographic, oral 
traditional, linguistic and archaeological evidence showing the beads 
were excavated within the ceded lands of the Umatilla.
    On an unknown date, 3 unassociated funerary objects were removed 
from Walla Walla County, WA. They were acquired by the Grand Rapids 
Public Museum from the Ruth Herrick Estate on September 10, 1974. The 
objects are: One lot of 5 hawk claw pendants together with a note that 
describes where they were excavated: ``Columbia River grave, Walla 
Walla Co. Washington;'' a string of Old Hudson's Bay Fur Company beads 
that is comprised of 6 large round cobalt beads, 5\1/2\ large round 
red-on-yellow opaque beads, and 58 round opaque light-blue pony beads 
with a note stating: ``Old Hudson Bay Fur -Co. Post, Indian Trade 
Beads, Fort Walla-Walla Washington;'' and a string of 19 dark blue 
glass Hudson's Bay Company beads with a note stating: ``Ft. Walla-Walla 
Washington.'' Digital images of the objects were reviewed by The 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation's Preservation 
Department. It was determined that the beads were excavated from the 
burial areas of the Wey[iacute]iletpuu, Imatalaml[aacute]ma and 
Wal[uacute]ulapam. As the human remains with which these objects were 
placed are not know to be in the possession or control of any Federal 
Agency or museum, they are unassociated funerary objects. During 
consultation, the Umatilla Tribes provided ethnographic, oral 
traditional, linguistic and archaeological evidence that the beads were 
excavated in the Walaw[aacute]la (Walla Walla) area alongside the 
Columbia River, that was the homeland of the Wal[uacute]ulapam and 
Wey[iacute]iletpuu People.

Determinations Made by the Grand Rapids Public Museum

    Officials of the Grand Rapids Public Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 4 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 Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Indian 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 claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Andrea Melvin, Collections Curator, Grand 
Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl Street NW., Grand Rapids, MI 49506, 
telephone (616) 929-1808, email [email protected], by May 5, 2016. After 
that date, if no additional claimants have come forward, transfer of 
control of the unassociated funerary objects to the Confederated Tribes 
of the Umatilla Indian Reservation may proceed.
    The Grand Rapids Public Museum is responsible for notifying the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation that this notice 
has been published.

    Dated: March 3, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-07758 Filed 4-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P