[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 2 (Friday, January 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 335-337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-28377]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0029319; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Abbe Museum, Bar 
Harbor, ME

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Abbe Museum, 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. 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 Abbe Museum. 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 Abbe Museum at the address 
in this notice by February 3, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Jodi C. DeBruyne, Director of Collections & Research, Abbe 
Museum, P.O. Box 286, Bar Harbor, ME 04609-1717, telephone (207) 288-
3519, 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 Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME, that meet the definition of 
unassociated funerary 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

[[Page 336]]

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

    Between 1900 and 2016, 937 unassociated funerary objects were 
removed from 96 known locations in ME. Locations include the Sawyer 
Farm site in Ashland in Aroostook County, Eagle Lake site in Eagle Lake 
in Aroostook County, Harpswell Neck site in Harpswell Neck in 
Cumberland County, Round Pond site in Bristol in Lincoln County, 
Waterford site in Waterford in Oxford County, Winterport site in 
Winterport in Waldo County, and Wells Beach site in Wells in York 
County. Locations in Hancock County include: Alley Island site in Alley 
Island, Duck Brook site in Bar Harbor, Shellheap near site in Bar 
Harbor, Woodbury Park site in Bar Harbor, Salisbury Cove site in Bar 
Harbor, Sheldrake Island site in Bar Harbor, Blue Hill site in Blue 
Hill, Red Paint Cemetery site in Blue Hill, Haskell Red Paint Cemetery 
site in Blue Hill, Parker's Point site in Blue Hill, Bridge's River 
site in Brooklin, Bucksport site in Bucksport, Molasses Pond site in 
Eastbrook, Old Red Paint site in Ellsworth, Union River site in 
Ellsworth, Deeck Place, Union River site in Ellsworth, Ellsworth Falls 
site in Ellsworth Falls, Smith Farm site in Ellsworth Falls, Wasp 
Island site in Ellsworth Falls, Burying River at the Burying Island 
site in Franklin, Butler's Point site in Franklin, Georges Pond site in 
Franklin, Frenchman Bay site in Frenchman Bay, Nubble Swans Island site 
in Frenchman Bay, Hog Island site in Frenchman Bay, Gouldsboro site in 
Gouldsboro, Tranquility Farm site in Gouldsboro, Jones Cove site in 
Gouldsboro, Taft Point site in Gouldsboro, Sullivan Falls site in 
Hancock, Isleford site in Islesford, Boynton site in Lamoine, Northeast 
Harbor site in Northeast Harbor, Mason Site/Cemetery at the Alamoosook 
Lake site in Orland, Emerson Site/Cemetery at the Alamoosook Lake site 
in Orland, Narramissic Valley site in Orland, Alamoosook Lake site in 
Orland, Hartford site in Orland, Johnson Cemetery site in Orland, 
Orland site in Orland, Red Paint Cemetery site in Orland, Soper's Field 
site in Orland, Orono Island site in Orono Island, Cooksey Road site in 
Seal Harbor, Somesville site in Somesville, Dpane's Point site in 
Sorrento, Ewing-Bragdon site in Sorrento, Hall site in Sorrento, 
Sorrento site in Sorrento, Gotts Island site in Sullivan, Surry site in 
Surry, Oak Point site in Trenton, and Ironbound Island site in Winter 
Harbor. Locations in Kennebec County include: Kennebec River site in 
Waterville and Lancaster Farm site in Winslow. Locations in Knox County 
include: Tarr Cemetery site in Union, Georges River Cemetery at the 
Georges River site in Warren, and the Stevens Cemetary site in Warren. 
Locations in Penobscot County include: Bangor site in Bangor, Fort Hill 
site in Bangor, Penobscot River site in Bangor, Kenduskeag River/Stream 
site in Bangor, Moorehead Cemetery at the Blackman Stream/Penobscot 
River site in Bradley, Penobscot River site in Bradley, Brewer Cemetery 
site in Brewer, East Hampden site in East Hampden, Penobscot River site 
in Eddington, Eddington Bend site in Eddington, Hampden site in 
Hampden, Piscataquis River site in Howland, Matanawcook River, 
Matanawcook Island site in Lincoln, Mattawamkeag site in Mattawamkeag, 
Milford site in Milford, Red Paint Cemetery at the Sunkhaze Stream site 
in Milford, Indian Island site in Old Town, Hathaway site in 
Passadumkeag, Penobscot River site in South Brewer, Penobscot River 
site in Searsport, South Lincoln site in South Lincoln, and Veazie site 
in Veazie. Locations in Piscataquis County include Katahdin Iron Works 
site in Brownville and Chase Carry, Munsungun Lake site in Northeast 
Piscataquis. Locations in Washington County include: Addison site in 
Addison, Sprague Fall site in Cherryfield, Narraguagus River site in 
Cherryfield, Machias site in Machias, Machias River site in Machias, 
Red Beach site in Red Beach, and the Wilson Farm site.
    The 937 unassociated funerary objects are one bone awl, one 
birchbark container, one stone bird stone, one burial soil sample, one 
metal/copper bead, one stone crescent, one stone effigy, one hematite/
ochre sample, one stone mallet, one mica sample, one woven cedar 
fragment, two stone chisels, two iron oxide concretions, three metal/
copper fragments, three stone drills, three stone gorgets, three 
hematite samples, three stone pestles, three stone scrapers, three 
stone whetstones, four stone reflakes, five stone battered nodules, 
five grooved stones, five ground slate rubbing stones, six stone 
atlatls/bannerstones, six stone pebbles, seven pyrite samples, eight 
stone adzes/gouges, eight ground stones, eight lucky stones, 10 ground 
stone rods, 13 stone flakes, 14 ground slate, 15 stone or ceramic pipe/
pipe stem fragments, 25 modified stones, 18 stone pendants, 19 stone 
hammerstone, 24 shells, 37 ocher samples (red and yellow), 42 stone 
ground slate points, 55 stone abrasives/abraders, 105 stone plummets, 
122 stone bifaces, 129 stone gouges, and 211 stone adzes/celts.
    Cultural affiliation between these unassociated funerary objects 
and the Aroostook Band of Micmacs (previously listed as the Aroostook 
Band of Micmac Indians); Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians; 
Passamaquoddy Tribe; and the Penobscot Nation (previously listed as the 
Penobscot Tribe of Maine), hereafter referred to as ``The Tribes,'' is 
based upon the identification of the above listed sites with the ``Red 
Paint People,'' who are the direct ancestors of the Wabanaki Peoples, 
to whom The Tribes belong. This lineage has been determined through 
multiple lines of evidence. First, the Wabanaki homeland extends 
throughout the United States and Canada in what is today known as 
Maine, New England, and the Canadian Maritimes and the Wabanaki have 
lived uninterrupted on this land for over 12,000 years. Second, the 
characteristic use of red ochre as a burial practice has continued 
throughout the generations to the present day. Third, artifact forms 
and decorations often found in ``Red Paint'' sites are consistent and 
similar to those found in Wabanaki sites. These include the inclusion 
of pristine condition tools, perforation, etched decoration, and the 
use of similar stone materials.

Determinations Made by the Abbe Museum

    Officials of the Abbe Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 937 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(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
unassociated funerary objects and The Tribes.

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 Jodi C. DeBruyne, Director of Collections & 
Research, Abbe Museum, P.O. Box 286, Bar Harbor, ME 04609-1717, 
telephone (207) 288-3519, email [email protected], by

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February 3, 2020. After that date, if no additional claimants have come 
forward, transfer of control of the unassociated funerary objects to 
The Tribes may proceed.
    The Abbe Museum is responsible for notifying The Tribes that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: November 14, 2019.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2019-28377 Filed 1-2-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P