[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3806-3807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00512]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0022625; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Denver Museum of 
Nature & Science, Denver, CO

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 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 and/or sacred 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 Denver 
Museum of Nature & Science. 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 Denver Museum of Nature & 
Science at the address in this notice by February 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Chip Colwell, Senior Curator of Anthropology and NAGPRA 
Officer, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Boulevard, 
Denver, CO 80205, telephone (303) 370-6378, 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. 3005, of the intent to repatriate cultural items under the 
control of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO, that meet 
the definition of unassociated funerary objects and/or sacred objects, 
under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
    This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's 
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25

[[Page 3807]]

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)

    In 1964, seven cultural items were removed from Ojibwe communities 
in unknown counties, MN. In the 1950s, Karen Petersen and her husband 
Sydney Petersen spent their summers visiting Ojibwe communities, buying 
crafts from tribal members. These items belonged to John Mink, a 
fourth-degree Midewiwin priest at the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation in 
central Minnesota. Soon after Mink's death in 1962 or 1963, museum 
records affirm the items were dug up to be offered for sale. Petersen 
sold the cache to Mary and Francis Crane on February 2, 1976, with the 
exception of one scroll (A943.1), which was donated to the Denver 
Museum of Natural History (now the Denver Museum of Nature & Science or 
DMNS) directly in November 1976. The Cranes in turn donated the other 
six unassociated funerary objects to the DMNS in December 1976. The 
seven unassociated funerary objects are 2 birch bark scrolls (A943.1 
and AC.11525), 2 ceremonial invitation sets (AC.11528 and AC.11529), 2 
medicine bags (AC.11535B and AC.11535J), and 1 vessel containing 
ceremonial stain (AC.11530).
    Between 1950 and 1964, six cultural items were removed from Ojibwe 
communities in unknown counties, MN. Karen Petersen purchased four 
cultural items (AC.11533, AC.11536A, AC.11536B, and AC.11538) from Ole 
Sam who had inherited these objects in 1960 from the estate of his 
father, Mike Sam, a Midewiwin priest. Petersen sold the cultural items 
to Mary and Francis Crane on February 5, 1976, who donated them to THE 
DMNS in December 1976. Petersen purchased one cultural item (ac.11526) 
from Annie Sam, a rare fourth-degree Midewiwin female priest. On 
February 2, 1976, the Cranes purchased the cultural item and donated it 
to the DMNS in December 1976. Petersen purchased one cultural item 
(AC.115351) from Maggie Skinaway in 1961. On February 19, 1976, 
Petersen sold the cultural item to the Cranes who donated it to the 
DMNS in December 1976. The six sacred objects are 1 ceremonial post 
(AC.11533), 1 large cowrie shell (AC.11536A), 1 collection of 19 shells 
(AC.11536B), 1 ceremonial drumstick (AC.115381), 1 birch bark scroll 
(AC.11526), and 1 medicine bag (AC.11535I).
    Museum accession, catalogue, and documentary records, as well as 
consultation with representatives of the Mille Lacs Band of the 
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota, indicate that the 13 cultural 
objects are Ojibwe and are from the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation, 
Minnesota. The 13 cultural items, A943.1, AC.11525, AC.11528, AC.11529, 
AC.11530, AC.11535B, AC.11535J, AC.11533, AC.11536A, AC.11536B, AC 
11538, AC.11526, and AC.11535I, relate to the Grand Medicine Society or 
Midewiwin, a ritual society.

Determinations Made by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science

    Officials of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 7 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(3)(C), the 6 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(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
unassociated funerary objects and the Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota 
Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the sacred 
objects and the Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, 
Minnesota.

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 Chip Colwell, Senior Curator of Anthropology 
and NAGPRA Officer, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado 
Boulevard., Denver, CO 80205, telephone (303) 370-6378, email 
[email protected], by February 13, 2017. After that date, if no 
additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control of the 
unassociated funerary objects and/or sacred objects may proceed.
    The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is responsible for notifying 
the Mille Lacs Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota, that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: December 21, 2016.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-00512 Filed 1-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P