[Federal Register: March 25, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 58)]
[Notices]
[Page 12096-12097]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items in the Possession
of the Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
AGENCY: National Park Service
ACTION: Notice
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[[Page 12097]]
Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection
and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. 3005 (a)(2), of the intent to
repatriate cultural items in the possession of the Science Museum of
Minnesota, St. Paul, MN which meet the definition of ``sacred object''
and ``object of cultural patrimony'' as defined in Section 2 of the
Act.
Between 1963 and 1977, the Science Museum of Minnesota accessioned
eight carved wooden masks and one cornhusk mask into its collections.
In 1963, the Science Museum purchased two masks from W.G. Spittal.
One mask is a woven cornhusk mask. The second mask is black-painted
basswood in an elongated oval shape, with a carved face, horsetail
hair, and copper eye plates. The cornhusk mask was made by an Onondaga
Nation member, and the basswood mask was made by a Cayuga Nation
member. Both of these masks were made at the Six Nations Reserve,
Ontario, Canada.
In 1977, the Science Museum purchased seven masks from W. Bailey.
The first mask is dark brown- stained wood in an elongated oval shape,
horsetail hair, carved face, and copper eye plates. Information with
this mask indicates it was made by the Seneca. The second mask is red-
painted wood in an elongated oval shape, carved face, horsetail hair,
and white eye plates. The third mask is black-painted wood in an
elongated oval shape, carved face, horsetail hair, and tin eye plates.
The fourth mask is black-painted wood in a narrowed oval shape, carved
face, horsetail hair, and copper eye plates. The fifth mask is red-
painted wood in an elongated oval shape, carved face, horsetail hair,
and white eye plates. The sixth mask is red painted wood in a narrowed
oval shape, horsetail hair, and white eye plates. The seventh mask is
black-painted wood in an oval shape, carved face, horsetail hair, and
white eye plates.
Consultation was conducted with representatives of the
Haudenosaunee Standing Committee on Burial Rules and Regulations
representing the Cayuga Nation, the Mohawk Nation, the Onondaga Nation,
the Seneca Nation of Indians, the Tonawanda Band of Seneca, and the
Tuscarora Nation. Consultation was also conducted with representatives
of the Oneida Nation of New York, the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, and
the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma.
Consultation evidence indicates these items are medicine or false
face masks. Such masks represent the power of particular medicine
beings. Representatives of the Haudenosaunee Standing Committee on
Burial Rules and Regulations affirm that these false face masks are
needed by the traditional religious leaders of all the nations of the
Iroquois Confederacy for the practice of traditional ceremonies by
present-day adherents. Representatives of the Haudenosaunee Standing
Committee on Burial Rules and Regulations have indicated that false
face masks are owned collectively by the members of the False Face
Society common to all nations of the Iroquois Confederacy and no
individual had the right to sell or otherwise alienate the masks.
Consultation, anthropological literature, and ethnographic evidence
all indicate these masks are used by a traditional religious society
(the False Face Society) common to all nations of the Iroquois
Confederacy. With the exception of the one mask known to be Cayuga, the
one mask known to be Onondaga, and the mask noted as Seneca, these
masks are common to all extant False Face Societies.
Based on the above-mentioned information, officials of the Science
Museum of Minnesota have determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C.
3001(3)(C), the nine masks are specific ceremonial objects which are
needed by traditional Native American religious leaders for the
practice of traditional Native American religions by their present day
adherents. Officials of the Science Museum of Minnesota have also
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(D), the nine masks have
ongoing historical, traditional, and cultural importance central to the
Native American group or culture itself, rather than property owned by
an individual Native American, and which, therefore, could not be
alienated, appropriated, or conveyed by any individual. Finally,
officials of the Science Museum of Minnesota have determined that,
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of shared group
identity with can be reasonably traced between these items and the
Cayuga Nation, the Mohawk Nation, the Onondaga Nation, the Seneca
Nation of Indians, the Tonawanda Band of Seneca, and the Tuscarora
Nation, the Oneida Nation of New York, the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin,
the Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma.
This notice has been sent to representatives of the Haudenosaunee
Standing Committee on Burial Rules and Regulations, the Cayuga Nation,
the Mohawk Nation, the Onondaga Nation, the Seneca Nation of Indians,
the Tonawanda Band of Seneca, and the Tuscarora Nation, the Oneida
Nation of New York, the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, the Seneca-Cayuga
Tribe of Oklahoma. Representatives of any other Indian tribe which
believes itself to be culturally affiliated with these objects should
contact Ms. Faith G. Bad Bear, NAGPRA Project Manager, Science Museum
of Minnesota, 30 East 10th Street, St. Paul, MN 55101, telephone (612)
221-9432 before April 24, 1996. Repatriation of these objects to the
Haudenosaunee Standing Committee on Burial Rules and Regulations,
representing the interests of the Cayuga Nation, the Mohawk Nation, the
Onondaga Nation, the Seneca Nation of Indians, the Tonawanda Band of
Seneca, and the Tuscarora Nation may begin after that date if no
additional claimants come forward.
Dated: March 19, 1996
Francis P. McManamon
Departmental Consulting Archeologist
Chief, Archeology and Ethnography Program
[FR Doc. 96-7051 Filed 3-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-F
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