[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20616-20617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08866]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-23041;PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Worcester Society 
of Natural History d.b.a. EcoTarium, Worcester, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Worcester Society of Natural History d.b.a. EcoTarium, 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 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 Worcester Society of Natural 
History d.b.a. EcoTarium. 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 Worcester Society of Natural 
History d.b.a. EcoTarium at the address in this notice by June 2, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Shana Hawrylchak, Manager of Exhibits and Collections, 
EcoTarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA 01604, telephone (508) 
929-2733, 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 Worcester Society of Natural History d.b.a. EcoTarium, 
Worcester, MA, that meet the definition of 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 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)

    At an unknown date, one cultural item was removed from an unknown 
location. The one sacred object is a fan made of eagle feathers, hide, 
and small beadwork. In 2016, the fan was found in the collections 
storage facilities of the EcoTarium together with an associated exhibit 
label which read ``Fan used in the peyote ceremony''. No information on 
the fan was found in the Museum's accession files or internal archives 
indicating either the provenience or the provenance of the fan. Based 
on the age of other materials in the Museum's anthropology collection, 
it is likely that the fan entered the collection in the 1950s. In the 
opinion of Douglas Diehl, Director of American Indian & Ethnographic 
Art at Skinner Auction House, the piece was Kiowa or Comanche, based on 
the design.
    In consultation with Margaret Murrow, Tribal Historic Preservation 
Officer for the Comanche Nation, further details of the design were 
identified as being in the Comanche style. In particular, the feathers 
were cut, or ``narrowed'', in a manner that is similar to traditional 
Comanche treatment of feathers and distinct from the fuller feather 
treatments seen in most Kiowa fans. The beadwork also follows 
traditional Comanche color schemes and patterns.

[[Page 20617]]

Determinations Made by the Worcester Society of Natural History d.b.a. 
EcoTarium

    Officials of the Worcester Society of Natural History d.b.a. 
EcoTarium have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C), the one cultural item 
described above is a specific ceremonial object needed by traditional 
Native American religious leaders for the practice of traditional 
Native American religions by their present-day adherents.

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 Shana Hawrylchak, Manager of Exhibits and 
Collections, EcoTarium, 222 Harrington Way, Worcester, MA 01604, 
telephone (508) 929-2733, email [email protected], by June 2, 
2017. After that date, if no additional claimants have come forward, 
transfer of control of the sacred object to the Comanche Nation, 
Oklahoma, may proceed.
    The Worcester Society of Natural History d.b.a. EcoTarium is 
responsible for notifying the Comanche Nation, Oklahoma, that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: March 7, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-08866 Filed 5-2-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P