[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 98 (Monday, May 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23481-23482]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10781]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0025513; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 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 objects of cultural patrimony 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 Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. 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 Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology at the address in this notice by June 20, 
2018.

ADDRESSES: Patricia Capone, Peabody Museum of Archaeology and 
Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, 
telephone (617) 496-3702, 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 Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard 
University, Cambridge, MA, that meet the definition of objects of 
cultural patrimony 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 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 Items

    In 1906, Grace Nicholson purchased an antler ornament headdress, a 
red woodpecker headdress, and a roll for the red woodpecker headdress 
on behalf of Lewis Hobart Farlow. Farlow purchased these three cultural 
items from Nicholson and donated them to the Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology in the same year. Peabody Museum records note 
these cultural items were collected from the ``Weigat Indians,'' or 
Wiyot, of Humboldt Bay, California. The antler ornament headdress, red 
woodpecker headdress, and roll have been identified as Wiyot and as 
sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony.
    The antler ornament headdress is constructed of leather, suede, and 
seven carved antler ornaments; red and black paints were applied to 
sections of the leather and to the antler ornaments. Consultation with 
representatives from the Wiyot Tribe indicated this antler headdress 
was most likely used during the Wiyot World Renewal Ceremony, more 
specifically for the White Deerskin Dance or possibly the Jump Dance. 
The physical properties of the headdress are entwined with sacred 
concepts and actions.
    The red woodpecker headdress is constructed from tanned deerhide 
and approximately 40 scalps of pileated woodpecker. Associated with 
this headdress, as a separate catalog number, is a storage roll 
constructed of a worked and polished cylindrical piece of wood, likely 
redwood. Consultation with representatives from the Wiyot Tribe 
indicated that the storage roll was required for the safe storage of 
the headdress and should be considered a part of the medicine 
associated with the headdress. Consultation with representatives from 
the Wiyot Tribe indicated this red woodpecker headdress and associated 
storage roll were most likely used during the World Renewal Ceremony, 
and possibly with the Jump Dance.
    These three cultural items meet the definition of sacred objects 
because they are specific ceremonial objects required by the Wiyot to 
properly perform dances and prayers for World Renewal Ceremonies, 
including the White Deerskin Dance and the Jump Dance.
    Archeological, historical, and ethnographic data also demonstrate 
that these three cultural items have ongoing historical, traditional, 
and cultural importance central to the Wiyot as regalia. Consultation 
with representatives from the Wiyot Tribe indicated that regalia and 
medicine items were not owned, but ``cared for'' by individuals, who 
were able to lend them, including in exchange for money, but not sell 
them. These Wiyot headdresses and the associated roll could not be sold 
because they were cared for, but not than owned, by the families and 
individuals. Due to the caretakers' collective responsibility for the 
headdresses and roll, an individual could not sell or transfer 
possession of them. For these reasons, based on the cultural 
information provided through consultation, and further supported by 
ethnographic and historical data, these three cultural items meet the 
category definition for objects of cultural patrimony because they have 
ongoing historical, traditional, and cultural importance central to the 
Wiyot for the proper performance of World Renewal Ceremonies, 
specifically the White Deerskin Dance and the Jump Dance,

[[Page 23482]]

and could not have been alienated or conveyed by an individual.
    In 1910, Grace Nicholson and Carroll Hartman purchased a woman's 
dance skirt on behalf of Lewis Hobart Farlow, in whose name it was 
donated to the Peabody Museum that same year. Prior to its purchase by 
Nicholson and Hartman, the dance skirt was owned by Isaac A. Beers, the 
United States Indian Agent at Hoopa from 1890-1893. The circumstance 
under which Beers collected the dance skirt is not known. Peabody 
Museum records describe the object as ``Wiegat--Very old fine Dance 
Skirt--Beer's Collection'' and from the ``Wiyot Indians, California.'' 
The woman's dance skirt has been identified as Wiyot and has been 
determined to be a sacred object.
    This dance skirt is made of soft, tanned leather, which is fringed 
at the bottom hem. A solitary shell object of modified abalone is 
fastened to a leather strand within the fringe. Another leather strand 
within the fringe is adorned with three blue glass beads and one long 
black glass bead. The waist of the skirt is decorated with maidenhair 
fern and beargrass wraps, as well as iris twine. Dangling from the edge 
of the twine-wrapped waist are thin twine-wrapped strands adorned with 
two small bivalve shells and finished with metal thimbles; some strands 
also contain blue glass beads.
    Consultation evidence suggests this skirt was most likely made as 
regalia for an adolescent girl's Coming of Age Ceremony, also known as 
the Flower Ceremony, due to its size and decoration. Families spent 
years gathering the materials for a girl's ``First Dress,'' which was 
worn initially at her Coming of Age Ceremony. Based on the size of this 
skirt, and the effort invested in its ornamentation, as well as the 
location of decoration at the waist, it was likely made as a ceremonial 
dance skirt for a girl's puberty rites. As abalone is associated with 
women's blood, the single cut and polished abalone shell bead fastened 
within the fringe at the skirt's bottom hem further supports the 
attribution of this skirt to the Coming of Age Ceremony. Museum 
documentation of the item as a ``Very old fine Dance Skirt'' supports 
the categorization of this skirt as a specific ceremonial item. 
According to consultation evidence and other supporting evidence this 
dance skirt would be used for multiple religious ceremonies, possibly 
including the Flower Ceremony, Jump Dance, and Brush Dance.
    This cultural item meets the definition of a sacred object because 
it is a specific ceremonial object required by the Wiyot for the 
practice of traditional religious ceremonies and dances, such as the 
Flower Ceremony, the World Renewal Ceremony, and the Brush Dance, by 
present-day adherents. Wiyot women and girls wore dance skirts for 
multiple ceremonies because the skirts were imbued with spiritual power 
and were potent enough to ritually purify ceremonial dance grounds.

Determinations Made by the Peabody Museum

    Officials of the Peabody Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C), the four 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(3)(D), the three cultural items 
described above have 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 
objects and objects of cultural patrimony and the Bear River Band of 
Rohnerville Rancheria, California; Blue Lake Rancheria, California; and 
Wiyot Tribe, California (previously listed as the Table Bluff 
Reservation--Wiyot Tribe).

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 Patricia Capone, Peabody Museum of 
Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, 
Cambridge, MA 02138, telephone (617) 496-3702, email 
[email protected], by June 20, 2018. After that date, if no 
additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control of the 
sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony to the Bear River Band 
of Rohnerville Rancheria, California; Blue Lake Rancheria, California; 
and Wiyot Tribe, California (previously listed as the Table Bluff 
Reservation--Wiyot Tribe) may proceed.
    The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is responsible for 
notifying the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria, California; 
Blue Lake Rancheria, California; and Wiyot Tribe, California 
(previously listed as the Table Bluff Reservation--Wiyot Tribe) that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 30, 2018.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2018-10781 Filed 5-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P