[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 159 (Thursday, August 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50879-50880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17766]



[[Page 50879]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0034367; 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 the 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 Eastern Washington 
University, Cheney, WA. The human remains and associated funerary 
objects were removed from Klickitat County, 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; Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously listed as 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon); Confederated 
Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; Nez Perce Tribe 
(previously listed as Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho); and the Wanapum Band, 
a non-federally recognized Indian group. Hereafter, all the Indian 
entities listed in this section are referred to as ``The Consulted 
Tribes and Group.''

History and Description of the Remains

    In 1953, human remains representing, at minimum, seven individuals 
were removed from Wakemap Mound (45-KL-26) in Klickitat County, WA, by 
a University of Washington Field Party led by Mr. Warren Caldwell. In 
1966, all the human remains and associated funerary objects removed by 
Mr. Caldwell were transferred by him to the Burke Museum and formally 
accessioned (Accn. #1966-86). In 1974, the Burke Museum legally 
transferred portions of the human remains and funerary objects to 
Seattle University. In 1992, the human remains of these seven 
individuals and three associated funerary objects were transferred to 
Eastern Washington University. No known individuals were identified. 
The three associated funerary objects are one polished bird bone, one 
fish vertebra, and one mid-sized mammal long bone.
    Between 1955 and 1957, human remains representing, at minimum, 62 
individuals were removed from the Congdon Site (45-KL-41) in Klickitat 
County, WA, by a University of Washington Field Party led by Mr. Robert 
B. Butler. The Congdon Site was first discovered in the 1930s. In 1955, 
amateur archeologists continued to disturb the site and find burials. 
Mr. Butler also began working at the site at this time. The site was 
simultaneously further disturbed by bulldozing in preparation for the 
relocation of the railroad. The Congdon Site was considered a mass 
burial. With human remains commingled and scattered throughout the 
site, identification of individual burials was impossible. Butler's 
excavations focused on salvaging human remains; however, no provenience 
was recorded for the human remains and the excavations have limited 
field documentation. All the human remains removed by Butler were 
transferred to the Burke Museum and formally accessioned in 1966 (Accn. 
#1966-100). In 1974, the Burke Museum legally transferred portions of 
the human remains from the Congdon Site to Seattle University. In 1992, 
the human remains of these 62 individuals were transferred to Eastern 
Washington University. No known individuals were identified. No 
associated funerary objects are present.
    In 1957, human remains representing, at minimum, one individual 
were removed from the Congdon Site (45-KL-41) in Klickitat County, WA, 
by Leon Fredrich, who, at the time, was collecting mammals in the area. 
Mr. Fredrich later sold approximately 200 mammal specimens, along with 
all the human remains he removed from the Congdon Site to the Burke 
Museum, where they were formally accessioned in 1963 (Accn. #1963-177). 
In 1974, the Burke Museum legally transferred portions of the human 
remains from the Congdon Site 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.
    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 the traditional 
territory of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated 
Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon and the Nez Perce 
Tribe. Wakemap Mound borders the Columbia River in Klickitat County, 
WA. Early and late published ethnographic documentation indicates that 
this was the aboriginal territory of the Western Columbia River 
Sahaptins, Wasco, Wishram, Yakima, Walla Walla, Umatilla, Tenino, and 
Skin (Daugherty 1973, Hale 1841, Hunn and French 1998, Stern 1998, 
French and French 1998, Mooney 1896, Murdock 1938, Ray 1936 and 1974, 
Spier 1936), whose descendants are represented today by the 
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation; Confederated Tribes 
of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously listed as Confederated

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Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon); Confederated Tribes of the 
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; and the Nez Perce Tribe (previously 
listed as Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho).

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 70 individuals of 
Native American ancestry.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(A), the three 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; Confederated Tribes 
of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously listed as Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon); Confederated Tribes of the 
Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon; and the Nez Perce Tribe (previously 
listed as Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho) (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.
    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. 2022-17766 Filed 8-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P