[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 234 (Friday, December 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78357-78358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26760]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0031201; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: The University of California 
Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The University of California Berkeley has completed an 
inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, 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 associated funerary objects 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 and associated

[[Page 78358]]

funerary objects should submit a written request to the University of 
California Berkeley. If no additional requestors come forward, transfer 
of control of the human remains and associated funerary objects 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 and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to the University of California Berkeley at the 
address in this notice by January 4, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Thomas Torma, NAGPRA Liaison, Office of the Vice 
Chancellor for Research, University of California Berkeley, 119 
California Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-1500, telephone (512) 672-5388, 
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 and 
associated funerary objects under the control of the University of 
California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA. The human remains and associated 
funerary objects were removed from around Humboldt Bay, Humboldt 
County, CA.
    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 and associated funerary objects. The National 
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.

Consultation

    A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by the 
University of California Berkeley professional staff in consultation 
with representatives of the Wiyot Tribe, California (previously listed 
as Table Bluff Reservation--Wiyot Tribe).

History and Description of the Remains

    In the early 20th century, human remains representing, at minimum, 
14 individuals were removed from sites CA-HUM-68, CA-HUM-33, CA-HUM-23, 
and CA-HUM-112 in Humboldt County, CA. These human remains were 
collected by H.H. Stuart, an amateur archeologist based in Eureka, CA, 
and were part of a donation that was accessioned into the museum in 
1931. Most of the individuals are represented by a very small number of 
bones, and because the digs were not well documented, the age and the 
sex of the individuals were not recorded. No known individuals were 
identified. The one associated funerary object is one set of 
unidentified animal bones.
    Between July and October 1913, human remains representing, at 
minimum, seven individuals were removed from sites CA-HUM-33, and CA-
HUM-37, near the Mad River Slough, in Humboldt County, CA. These human 
remains were collected by Llewellyn Loud, who was working on an 
ethnogeographic and archeological survey of the Wiyot people under the 
direction of Alfred Kroeber. The human remains were accessioned on 
November 6, 1913. No associated funerary objects are present.
    Most of the sites around Humboldt Bay date to the creation of the 
Bay, approximately 5000-7000 years ago. According to archeological 
evidence, Wiyot oral tradition, and the written historical record, the 
Wiyot Tribe has been present in this area since before the creation of 
Humboldt Bay.

Determinations Made by the University of California Berkeley

    Officials of the University of California Berkeley have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 21 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the one object described 
in this notice 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.
     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 associated funerary objects and the Wiyot 
Tribe, California (previously listed as 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 
request transfer of control of these human remains and associated 
funerary objects should submit a written request with information in 
support of the request to Dr. Thomas Torma, NAGPRA Liaison, Office of 
the Vice Chancellor for Research, University of California Berkeley, 
119 California Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-1500, telephone (512) 672-5388, 
email [email protected], by January 4, 2021. After that date, if no 
additional requestors have come forward, transfer of control of the 
human remains and associated funerary objects to the Wiyot Tribe, 
California (previously listed as Table Bluff Reservation--Wiyot Tribe) 
may proceed.
    The University of California Berkeley is responsible for notifying 
the Wiyot Tribe, California (previously listed as Table Bluff 
Reservation--Wiyot Tribe) that this notice has been published.

    Dated: November 24, 2020.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2020-26760 Filed 12-3-20; 8:45 am]
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