[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 140 (Monday, July 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34330-34331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15469]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-23582; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: State Historical 
Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The State Historical Society of North Dakota, 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 and objects of cultural patrimony. 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 State Historical 
Society of North Dakota. 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 State Historical Society of 
North Dakota at the address in this notice by August 23, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Melissa Thompson, State Historical Society of North Dakota, 
612 East Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58505, telephone (701) 328-
2691, 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 State Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, ND, 
that meet the definition of sacred objects, and objects of cultural 
patrimony 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

[[Page 34331]]

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

    On an unknown date, an unknown number of cultural items were 
removed from an unknown site in an unknown location. In August of 2016, 
a bison skull was found in the Museum Division storage space. The 
cultural item was found in a box dating to the 1950s that was used for 
storage of items in the possession of the State Historical Society of 
North Dakota (SHSND), but never formally accessioned or cataloged into 
the museum collection. Museum opinion is that the bison skull was 
placed in the storage box in the 1950s, but no other provenance is 
available. There is a label in the box that reads: ``Fragments of 
buffalo skull found on the site of the final Sun Dance held by the 
Teton Sioux, and believed to be the skull used in that ceremony as the 
red paint applied to the buffalo skull in the Sun Dance is discernable 
on the specimen.'' The sacred object/object of cultural patrimony is 
the broken partial skull of an old bison.
    The buffalo skull was identified by Standing Rock Sioux of North & 
South Dakota tribal archeologist Kelly Morgan as belonging to the Teton 
Sioux and/or Lakota Sioux of the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) 
that make up what is often referred to as the ``Sioux Nation.'' Their 
first reservation land was negotiated under the Treaty of Traverse des 
Sioux in 1851, and then initially reduced under the Treaty of 1858. 
These treaties were unilaterally abrogated by the United States 
Government after the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, and Dakota people were 
force-marched and ethnically-cleansed from their Minnesota homeland in 
1863. In 1873, the Standing Rock Indian reservation was established. 
The distinctive Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota identity is still pervasive 
at Standing Rock. The Standing Rock Sioux, as well as all other members 
of the Oceti Sakowin, practiced the seven sacred rites of the Dakota, 
Lakota, and Nakota nations. The Sun Dance is the third of the sacred 
rites, and is still practiced today. Skulls in the Sun Dance are used 
in the ``Dragging of the Skulls'' ceremony and as an altar in the 
dance. The red spot on the top of this bison's skull signifies that the 
skull was used in a Sun Dance ceremony.

Determinations Made by the State Historical Society of North Dakota

    Officials of the State Historical Society of North Dakota 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.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(D), the one cultural item 
described above has ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural 
importance central to the Native American group or culture itself, 
rather than property owned by an individual.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the sacred 
object/object of cultural patrimony and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe 
of North & South Dakota.

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 Melissa Thompson, State Historical Society 
of North Dakota, 612 East Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58505, 
telephone (701) 328-2691, email [email protected], by August 23, 2017. 
After that date, if no additional claimants have come forward, transfer 
of control of the sacred object/object of cultural patrimony to the 
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South Dakota may proceed.
    The State Historical Society of North Dakota is responsible for 
notifying the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South Dakota and the 
Upper Sioux Community, Minnesota that this notice has been published.

    Dated: June 15, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-15469 Filed 7-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P