[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 120 (Friday, June 25, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33732-33733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-13511]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0032106; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Oregon State 
University, Corvallis, OR

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Oregon State University NAGPRA Office, 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 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 Oregon State University NAGPRA Office. 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 Oregon State University 
NAGPRA Office at the address in this notice by July 26, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dawn Marie Alapisco, Oregon State 
University NAGPRA Office, 106 Gilkey Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, 
telephone (541) 737-4075, 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 Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, that meet the 
definition of 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

    Between 1978 and 2001, Dr. Roberta Hall of the Oregon State 
University Anthropology Department conducted seven excavation seasons 
at Site 35CS043, which is in the City of Bandon, Coos County, OR. 
Altogether, five areas, designated A through E, were excavated. The 30 
sacred objects are 17 lots of worked lithics; 10 lots of worked bone; 
one lot of mixed technologies; one broken clay vessel; and one lot of 
photos of the sacred objects.
    Site 35CS043 has a very long occupation history. Radiocarbon dating 
samples sent to Beta Analytics by Dr. Roberta Hall show occupation as 
early as 2310-1660 BCE. This site was one of three Coquille villages 
that made up the Nasomah Complex. All three villages were attacked by 
miners on January 28, 1854, during the Nasomah massacre; up to 21 
tribal individuals were reported killed.
    The Coos Bay Indians are the ancestors of the present-day Coquille 
Indian Tribe. They spoke Miluk, a Penutian dialect, and the Coquille/
Tututni dialect of Athabaskan. The split between Miluk (Lower Coquille) 
and Athapaskan (Upper Coquille) is around Randolph Island on the 
Coquille River. The Coos Bay Indians (now known as the Coquille Indian 
Tribe) claimed the territory two miles south of the lower Coquille 
River in a 1935 case before the U.S. Court of Claims. After its Federal 
recognition was terminated by an Act of Congress in 1954 (finalized 
1956), the Coquille Indian Tribe was officially restored to recognized 
status in 1989.
    Through lengthy consultations with the Tribal Historic Preservation 
Officer (THPO) for the Coquille Indian Tribe, Oregon State University 
determined that, based on material, form, and function, the items 
listed in this notice meet the definition of ``sacred objects.'' The 
blue schist stone objects originate from ``Grandmother Rock,'' an 
individual who, according to Coquille oral tradition, was 
transmogrified into stone. ``Grandmother Rock,'' also known as Tupper 
Rock, was used to make the Bandon jetty; pieces of her returned to the 
Tribe are given sacred status. The obsidian and CCS were obtained 
through trade for ceremonial purposes, as these materials are not local 
to the Bandon area. All the worked bone was of ceremonial quality and 
typologies. The clay vessel was ceremonial in

[[Page 33733]]

nature, and the photos are of the technologies listed in this notice.

Determinations Made by Oregon State University

    Officials of Oregon State University have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(C), the 30 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(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the sacred 
objects and the Coquille Indian Tribe [previously listed as Coquille 
Tribe of Oregon].

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 Dawn Marie Alapisco, Oregon State University 
NAGPRA Office, 106 Gilkey Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, telephone (541) 
737-4075, email [email protected], by July 26, 2021. 
After that date, if no additional claimants have come forward, transfer 
of control of the sacred objects to the Coquille Indian Tribe 
[previously listed as Coquille Tribe of Oregon] may proceed.
    Oregon State University is responsible for notifying the Coquille 
Indian Tribe [previously listed as Coquille Tribe of Oregon] that this 
notice has been published.

    Dated: June 9, 2021.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2021-13511 Filed 6-24-21; 8:45 am]
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