[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 159 (Thursday, August 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50880-50881]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17763]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034366; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: Eastern Washington University, 
Cheney, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Eastern Washington University 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 Eastern Washington University. 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 Eastern Washington University at the address 
in this notice by September 19, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Valdez, NAGPRA Coordinator, 
Eastern Washington University, 214 Showalter Hall, Cheney, WA 99004, 
telephone (509) 359-3116, 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 Eastern Washington 
University, Cheney, WA. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Grant and Kittitas Counties, WA.
    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 Eastern 
Washington University professional staff in consultation with 
representatives of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama 
Nation; Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation; and the 
Wanapum Band, a non-federally recognized Indian group. Hereafter, the 
Indian entities listed in this section are referred to as ``The 
Consulted Tribes and Group.''

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1920, human remains representing, at minimum, nine individuals 
were removed by Dr. F. S. Hall of the Washington State Museum from 
Graves 3, 7, 9, 14, 17, 29, 46, and an unnumbered grave at the Pot 
Holes Site (45GR131) in Grant County, WA. The Pot Holes Site, or Hall 
Site #7 (later assigned 45GR131), was located on the east bank of the 
Columbia River, south of Trinidad, in Grant County, Washington. ``Hall 
Site #7'' appears to have been a large and important site prior to 
being largely destroyed by local collectors before any systematic 
recovery could be attempted. The Washington State Museum accessioned 
all the human remains and associated funerary objects removed by Hall 
in November of 1920 (Accn. # 1860). In 1974, its successor, the Burke 
Museum, legally transferred portions of the human remains and 
associated funerary objects to Seattle University. In 1992, the human 
remains of these nine individuals and four associated funerary objects 
were transferred to Eastern Washington University. No known individuals 
were identified. The four associated funerary objects are one lot of 
charred wood, one mammal bone, one lot of rocks, and one lot of 
charcoal mixed with unidentified bone fragments.
    In 1920-1921, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed by F.S. Hall of the Washington State Museum 
from an area near Vantage Ferry in Kittitas County, WA. All the human 
remains removed by Hall from this site were accessioned by the Burke 
Museum in 1920 (Burke Accn. #1860). In 1974, the Burke Museum legally 
transferred

[[Page 50881]]

portions of the human remains to Seattle University. In 1992, the human 
remains of this one individual were transferred to Eastern Washington 
University. No known individual was identified. No associated funerary 
objects are present.
    In 1920-1921, human remains representing, at minimum, one 
individual were removed by F.S. Hall or his expedition team from the 
Washington State Museum from a cave near Pot Holes in Grant County, WA. 
The human remains were wrapped in a bundle of horsetails along with 
stone tools, harness fragments and fire-cracked rock and stored in a 
box. This bundle was determined to be part of Hall's expedition based 
on the writing on the box label, which matches other boxes from this 
expedition; the location, which is within the vicinity of the project 
area; the condition of the human remains being similar to other human 
remains recovered from this expedition; and the date and region of the 
newspaper found in the box. The expedition collection was accessioned 
by the Burke Museum in 1920 (Accn. #1860). In 1974, the Burke Museum 
legally transferred portions of the human remains to Seattle 
University. In 1992, the human remains of this one individual and 10 
associated funerary objects were transferred to Eastern Washington 
University. No known individual was identified. The 10 associated 
funerary objects are three fragments of harness leather with rivets, 
one lot of newspaper fragments (dated 1920, local ads from Walla Walla, 
WA and Moscow, ID), one lot of horsetail bundles, four basalt flakes, 
and one fire-cracked rock.
    NAGPRA experts representing the Confederated Tribes and Bands of 
the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and 
the Wanapum Band identified this site as part of their traditional 
territory. Early and late published ethnographic documentation 
indicates that this was the aboriginal territory of the Moses-Columbia 
or Sinkiuse, and the Yakima (Daugherty 1973, Miller 1998, Mooney 1896, 
Ray 1936, Spier 1936), whose descendants are represented today by the 
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Confederated Tribes 
and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and the Wanapum Band, a non-federally 
recognized Indian group. Museum documentation indicates that the 
cultural items were found in connection with the human remains. The 
cultural items are consistent with cultural items typically found with 
burials in Eastern Washington.

Determinations Made by the Eastern Washington University

    Officials of the Eastern Washington University have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(9), the human remains described 
in this notice represent the physical remains of 11 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the 14 objects 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 
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the Confederated 
Tribes of the Colville Reservation (hereafter referred to as ``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 
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 Kate Valdez, NAGPRA Coordinator, Eastern 
Washington University, 214 Showalter Hall, Cheney, WA 99004, telephone 
(509) 359-3116, email [email protected], by September 19, 2022. After 
that date, if no additional requestors have come forward, transfer of 
control of the human remains and associated funerary objects to The 
Tribes may proceed. If joined to a request from one or more of The 
Tribes, the Wanapum Band, a non-federally recognized Indian group may 
receive transfer of control of the human remains and associated 
funerary objects.
    The Eastern Washington University is responsible for notifying The 
Consulted Tribes and Group that this notice has been published.

    Dated: August 10, 2022.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2022-17763 Filed 8-17-22; 8:45 am]
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