[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 21, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44702-44703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11096]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0037956; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Boston Children's Museum, 
Boston, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), Boston Children's Museum intends to 
repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of sacred 
objects or objects of cultural patrimony and that have a cultural 
affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in 
this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after June 20, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Melissa Higgins, Boston Children's Museum, 308 Congress 
Street, Boston, MA 02210, telephone (617) 986-3692, 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 Boston 
Children's Museum, 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 106 cultural items have been requested for repatriation. 
The 29 sacred objects are masks, rattles, and a cane. The 77 objects of 
cultural patrimony are games, dolls, household objects, decorative 
ornamentations and beadwork, pouches, moccasins, baskets, bottles, and 
instruments. All of these items have cultural associations with nations 
that are a part of Onondaga nation, including Seneca, Onondaga, Cayuga, 
Iroquois, Mohawk, and Oneida. No potentially hazardous substances are 
known to have been used to treat any of these items.

Determinations

    Boston Children's Museum has determined that:
     The 29 sacred objects described in this notice are 
specific ceremonial objects 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.
     The 77 objects of cultural patrimony described in this 
notice have ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance 
central to the Native American group, including any constituent sub-
group (such as a band, clan, lineage, ceremonial society, or other 
subdivision), according to the Native American traditional knowledge of 
an Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian organization.
     There is a reasonable connection between the cultural 
items described in this notice and Onondaga Nation.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
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 items in this notice to a requestor 
may occur on or after June 20, 2024. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, Boston Children's Museum must determine the 
most appropriate requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint 
repatriation of the cultural items are considered a single request and 
not competing requests. Boston Children's Museum is responsible for 
sending a copy of this notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian

[[Page 44703]]

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: May 9, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-11096 Filed 5-20-24; 8:45 am]
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