[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 74 (Friday, April 18, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16549-16550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-06642]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0039952; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK

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 Gilcrease Museum intends to repatriate 
certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated 
funerary objects 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 May 19, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Laura Bryant, Gilcrease Museum, 800 S Tucker Drive, Tulsa, 
OK 74104, telephone (918) 596-2747, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the

[[Page 16550]]

National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
Gilcrease 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 eight cultural items have been requested for 
repatriation. The eight unassociated funerary objects are two lots of 
stone beads, four lots of shell beads, one lot of glass beads, and one 
tar mat headrest. These items were removed from near Buena Vista Lake 
in Kern County, California likely around the mid-20th century. Seven of 
the items were likely removed by Dr. Norman Westermann, who donated his 
collection to Gilcrease Museum in 1986. One of the items was collected 
by Frank Soday, whose collection was purchased in 1982 by the Thomas 
Gilcrease Museum Association and then donated to the Museum.

Determinations

    The Gilcrease Museum has determined that:
     The eight unassociated funerary objects described in this 
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with 
or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death 
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American 
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a 
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The 
unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance 
of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or 
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an 
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe 
or Native Hawaiian organization.
     There is a reasonable connection between the cultural 
items described in this notice and the Tejon Indian Tribe.

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 May 19, 2025. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the Gilcrease 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. The Gilcrease Museum 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 8, 2025
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2025-06642 Filed 4-17-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P