[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22253-22254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08773]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0031783; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: San Bernardino County Museum, 
Redlands, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The San Bernardino County Museum (SBCM) 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 funerary objects should submit a 
written request to the San Bernardino County Museum. 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 San Bernardino County Museum at the 
address in this notice by May 27, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Tamara Serrao-Leiva, San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 
Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA 92374, telephone (909) 798-8623, 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 San Bernardino 
County Museum, Redlands, CA. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, 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 San 
Bernardino County Museum professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the 
Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, California; Cabazon Band of Mission 
Indians, California; Cahuilla Band of Indians (previously listed as 
Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians of the Cahuilla Reservation, 
California); Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California (previously 
listed as Morongo Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians of the Morongo 
Reservation); San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, California 
(previously listed as San Manual Band of Serrano Mission Indians of the 
San Manual Reservation); Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, 
California (previously listed as Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Mission 
Indians of the Santa Rosa Reservation); Twenty-Nine Palms Band of 
Mission Indians of California; and the Mission Creek Band of Mission 
Indians, a non-federally recognized Indian group. The Augustine Band of 
Cahuilla Indians, California (previously listed as Augustine Band of 
Cahuilla Mission Indians of the Augustine Reservation); Los Coyotes 
Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians, California (previously listed as 
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeno Indians of the Los Coyotes 
Reservation); Ramona Band of Cahuilla, California (previously listed as 
Ramona Band or Village of Cahuilla Mission Indians of California); and 
the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, California (previously 
listed as Torres-Martinez Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians of 
California) were invited to consult, but did not participate. 
Hereafter, all the Indian Tribes and groups listed above are referred 
to as ``The Consulted and Invited Tribes and Groups.''

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1951, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Indian Wells (SBCM-20; CA-RIV-64) in Riverside 
County, CA, during a survey by the Archaeological Survey Association of 
Southern California. The age and sex of this individual are unknown. No 
known individual was identified. The one associated funerary object is 
one lot of charcoal.
    In 1898, evidence for the existence of cremations, a workshop, and 
kilns was found at CA-RIV-64, and in 1933-35, G. Smith attested to the 
presence of cremations when he recorded the site. As no units or 
stratigraphical data were recorded in 1951, there is little information 
to establish a time-period for these human remains. Artifacts recovered 
from the site, though, point to a primarily protohistoric presence, 
with some earlier and later occupations. Ethnohistoric evidence 
indicates that the area around Indian Wells was occupied by the 
Cahuilla Tribe during the prehistoric and protohistoric period, and 
this area has traditionally been identified as Cahuilla ancestral 
territory. When Cahuilla peopled the Coachella Valley, Indian Wells was 
the seat from which their leader, Sungrey, exercised authority. Today, 
the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian 
Reservation, California has a conservation easement on an area of CA-
RIV-64 (a burial dune).
    In 1982, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from Seven Palms Ranch (SBCM-173; CA-RIV-1825, CA-RIV-
1827) in Riverside County, CA, by Albert A. Webb Associates. The firm's 
1982 site report states, ``SP 6 is potentially the largest site on the 
property. SP 6 incorporates an area 50 meters wide by 250 meters long . 
. . exposing ceramics, FAR, debitage, bone, and large metate fragments 
. . . . Of significance, a suspicious bone fragment collected from the 
site for identification

[[Page 22254]]

proved to be human, right mastoid process, resulting presumably, from a 
human cremation. The disposition of this specimen will be arranged with 
Anthony Andreas, the Native American consultant of the project from the 
Agua Caliente Cahuilla Band.'' The human remains--a mastoid process--
belong to an individual of unknown age and sex. No known individual was 
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
    According to the Webb Associates report, settlement at Seven Palms 
Ranch dates from 1150 to 1876 A.D. Seven Palms oasis was abandoned in 
the 1870s, when the population moved several miles southwest to Palm 
Springs Station. This group was identified as the Havinakiktum (``deep 
water hole'') clan of the Coyote Moiety (Strong 1929:91), whose 
religious affiliation was with the Morongo groups. The people of Seven 
Palms are known as the Hav ve.
    Ethnohistoric evidence indicates that the area around Seven Palms 
Ranch was occupied by the Cahuilla tribe throughout prehistory, and the 
archeological record indicates Cahuilla presence in the protohistoric 
period. In recent times, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians 
filed a resolution on the village site with the Riverside County 
Assessor's office.

Determinations Made by the San Bernardino County Museum

    Personnel of the San Bernardino County Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of two 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 Agua 
Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian 
Reservation, California; Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, California 
[previously listed as Augustine Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians of the 
Augustine Reservation]; Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, California; 
Cahuilla Band of Indians [previously listed as Cahuilla Band of Mission 
Indians of the Cahuilla Reservation, California]; Los Coyotes Band of 
Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians, California [previously listed as Los 
Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeno Indians of the Los Coyotes 
Reservation]; Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California [previously 
listed as Morongo Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians of the Morongo 
Reservation]; Ramona Band of Cahuilla, California [previously listed as 
Ramona Band or Village of Cahuilla Mission Indians of California]; 
Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians, California [previously listed as 
Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians of the Santa Rosa 
Reservation]; and the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, 
California [previously listed as Torres-Martinez Band of Cahuilla 
Mission Indians of California] (hereafter referred to as ``The 
Affiliated 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 
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 Tamara Serrao-Leiva, San Bernardino County 
Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA 92373, telephone (909) 798-
8623, email [email protected], by May 27, 2021. After 
that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to The 
Affiliated Tribes may proceed.
    The San Bernardino County Museum is responsible for notifying The 
Affiliated Tribes and The Consulted and Invited Tribes and Groups that 
this notice has been published.

    Dated: April 19, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-08773 Filed 4-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P