[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 81 (Thursday, April 25, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31766-31767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08875]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037807; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural 
History, Santa Barbara, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History 
intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition 
of a sacred objects and that has a cultural affiliation with the Indian 
Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice may occur on or 
after May 28, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Luke Swetland, President and CEO, Santa Barbara Museum of 
Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, 
telephone (805) 682-4711, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and additional information on 
the determinations in this notice, including the results of 
consultation, can be found in the summary or related records. The 
National Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this 
notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of one cultural item has been requested for repatriation. 
The one sacred object is a Navajo Jish (medicine bundle) donated by 
Nancy Alexander in 1984, originally acquired from dealer Larry Frank 
around 1975. This bundle is believed to be a composite, made up of 
parts of two or more original bundles. Larry Frank (1926-2006) was a 
noted historian, art collector, and author, living in Arroyo Hondo (not 
far from Taos, NM) when Nancy Alexander made the purchase.

Determinations

    The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has determined that:
     The one sacred object described in this notice is a 
specific ceremonial object needed by a traditional Native American 
religious leader for present-day adherents to practice traditional 
Native American religion, according to the Native American traditional 
knowledge of a lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
     There is a reasonable connection between the cultural item 
described in this notice and the Navajo Nation, Arizona, New Mexico, & 
Utah.

[[Page 31767]]

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural item 
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified 
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be 
submitted by any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
    Repatriation of the cultural item in this notice to a requestor may 
occur on or after May 28, 2024. If competing requests for repatriation 
are received, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History must 
determine the most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. 
Requests for joint repatriation of the cultural item are considered a 
single request and not competing requests. The Santa Barbara Museum of 
Natural History is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to the 
Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this 
notice and to any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

    Dated: April 15, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-08875 Filed 4-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P