[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17442-17443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08184]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA- NPS0025357; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington 
State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke 
Museum) has completed an inventory of human remains, in consultation 
with the appropriate Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, 
and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the 
human remains and present-day Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations. Lineal descendants or 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 should 
submit

[[Page 17443]]

a written request to the Burke Museum. If no additional requestors come 
forward, transfer of control of the human remains 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 
request transfer of control of these human remains should submit a 
written request with information in support of the request to the Burke 
Museum at the address in this notice by May 21, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 
353010, Seattle, WA 98195, telephone (206) 685-3849, 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. 3003, of the completion of an inventory of human remains under 
the control of the Burke Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. 
The human remains were removed from the Aleutian Islands, AK.
    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 human remains. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by Burke Museum 
professional staff in consultation with representatives of the Agdaagux 
Tribe of King Cove; Native Village of Akutan; Native Village of Atka; 
Native Village of Belkofski; Native Village of False Pass; Native 
Village of Nelson Lagoon; Native Village of Nikolski; Native Village of 
Unga; Pauloff Harbor Village; Qagan Tayagungin Tribe of Sand Point 
Village; Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska; and Pribilof Islands Aleut 
Communities of St. Paul and St. George Islands, hereafter known as 
``The Tribes and Native Villages of the Aleutian Islands.''

History and Description of the Remains

    At an unknown date prior to 1973, human remains representing, at 
minimum, one individual were removed from an unknown location in the 
Aleutian Islands, AK. The human remains were found in collections at 
the Burke Museum in 1973 (Burke Accn. #1973-58) in a box labeled 
``Aleutian Skull, R.C. Barnard.'' While the label on the box indicates 
the contents were donated by R. C. Barnard, no donor record exists at 
the Burke Museum's records for that name. No known individuals were 
identified. No funerary objects are present.
    This individual has been determined to be Native American based on 
geographical and biological information. Archeological and biological 
information suggest continuity between past populations and modern 
Native populations in the Aleutian Islands. The archeological record 
indicates over 4,500 years of cultural continuity on the Aleutian 
Islands with unbroken sequences in midden sites (McCartney, 1984). 
During the 1700s, after contact with the Russians, Unangax/Aleut 
populations began to decline and by the late 1700s and early 1800s most 
Unangax/Aleut had relocated, or been removed, to the modern Native 
Villages. A relationship of shared group identity can reasonably be 
traced between the human remains and the modern day descendants of the 
Unangax/Aleut, who are represented by The Tribes and Native Villages of 
the Aleutian Islands.

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 represent the physical remains of one individual of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the Native 
American human remains and The Tribes and Native Villages of the 
Aleutian Islands.

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or 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 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) 685-3849 Ext 2, email [email protected], by May 21, 
2018. After that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, 
transfer of control of the human remains to The Tribes and Native 
Villages of the Aleutian Islands may proceed.
    The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying The Tribes and Native 
Villages of the Aleutian Islands that this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 2, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-08184 Filed 4-18-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P