FR Doc E6-2447
[Federal Register: February 22, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 35)]
[Notices]
[Page 9149-9150]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22fe06-120]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion: American Museum of Natural
History, New York, NY
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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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 in the possession of the
American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY. The human remains
were removed from Pacific 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. The National Park Service is not responsible
for the determinations in this notice.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made by American
Museum of Natural History professional staff in consultation with
representatives of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama
Indian Nation of the Yakama Reservation, Washington; Confederated
Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of
the Colville Reservation, Washington; Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe of
Washington; Lower Elwha Tribal Community of the Lower Elwha
Reservation, Washington; Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian
Reservation, Washington; Port Gamble Indian Community of the Port
Gamble Reservation, Washington; Quinault Tribe of the Quinault
Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Tribe, Washington; Shoalwater
Bay Tribe of
[[Page 9150]]
the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation, Washington; Skokomish Indian
Tribe of the Skokomish Reservation, Washington; Stillaguamish Tribe of
Washington; Tulalip Tribes of the Tulalip Reservation, Washington; and
Upper Skagit Indian Tribe of Washington. The American Museum of Natural
History also contacted the following Indian tribes for consultation,
but received no response: the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon; Hoh Indian Tribe of the Hoh Indian Reservation,
Washington; Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Reservation, Washington;
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington;
Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, Washington;
Nooksack Indian Tribe of Washington; Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup
Reservation, Washington; Quileute Tribe of the Quileute Reservation,
Washington; Squaxin Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island Reservation,
Washington; and Swinomish Indians of the Swinomish Reservation,
Washington.
At an unknown date, human remains representing a minimum of eight
individuals were removed from Tokeland, on Shoalwater Bay, Pacific
County, WA, by Harlan I. Smith, during the Jesup North Pacific
Expedition. The museum has no record of whether Mr. Smith purchased or
excavated the human remains. In 1899, the museum accessioned the human
remains. No known individuals were identified. No associated funerary
objects are present.
According to museum records, the human remains were found in
``camphor boxes'' imported from China during the postcontact period.
Published literature and consultation information from the tribe
indicate that burial in Chinese boxes is consistent with the
postcontact burial practices of the Shoalwater Bay Tribe of the
Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation, Washington. Based on locale and
manner of interment, the human remains have been identified as Native
American dating to the postcontact period. The geographic origin of the
human remains is consistent with the postcontact territory of the
Shoalwater Bay Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation,
Washington and is within the boundaries of the present-day Shoalwater
Bay Indian Reservation.
Although the lands from which the human remains were removed are
currently under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the American Museum of Natural
History has control of the human remains since their removal from
tribal land predates the permit requirements established by the
Antiquities Act of 1906.
Officials of the American Museum of Natural History have determined
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described
above represent the physical remains of a minimum of eight individuals
of Native American ancestry. Officials of the American Museum of
Natural History, also have determined that, 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 the
Shoalwater Bay Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation,
Washington.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Nell
Murphy, Director of Cultural Resources, American Museum of Natural
History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192,
telephone (212) 769-5837, before March 24, 2006. Repatriation of the
human remains to the Shoalwater Bay Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian
Reservation, Washington may proceed after that date if no additional
claimants come forward.
The American Museum of Natural History is responsible for notifying
the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation of the
Yakama Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis
Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Colville
Reservation, Washington; Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon; Hoh Indian Tribe of the Hoh Indian Reservation,
Washington; Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe of Washington; Lower Elwha Tribal
Community of the Lower Elwha Reservation, Washington; Lummi Tribe of
the Lummi Reservation, Washington; Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah
Indian Reservation, Washington; Muckleshoot Indian Tribe of the
Muckleshoot Reservation, Washington; Nisqually Indian Tribe of the
Nisqually Reservation, Washington; Nooksack Indian Tribe of Washington;
Port Gamble Indian Community of the Port Gamble Reservation,
Washington; Puyallup Tribe of the Puyallup Reservation, Washington;
Quileute Tribe of the Quileute Reservation, Washington; Quinault Tribe
of the Quinault Reservation, Washington; Samish Indian Tribe,
Washington; Shoalwater Bay Tribe of the Shoalwater Bay Indian
Reservation, Washington; Skokomish Indian Tribe of the Skokomish
Reservation, Washington; Squaxin Island Tribe of the Squaxin Island
Reservation, Washington; Stillaguamish Tribe of Washington; Swinomish
Indians of the Swinomish Reservation, Washington; Tulalip Tribes of the
Tulalip Reservation, Washington; and Upper Skagit Indian Tribe of
Washington that this notice has been published.
Dated: January 27, 2006.
C. Timothy McKeown,
Acting Manager, National NAPGRA Program.
[FR Doc. E6-2447 Filed 2-21-06; 8:45 am]
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