FR Doc E6-3551
[Federal Register: March 14, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 49)]
[Notices]
[Page 13165]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14mr06-108]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate a Cultural Item: Minnesota Museum
of American Art, St. Paul, MN
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. 3005, of the intent
to repatriate a cultural item in the possession of the Minnesota Museum
of American Art, St. Paul, MN, that meets the definition of "object of
cultural patrimony" under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
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 cultural
item. The National Park Service is not responsible for the
determinations in this notice.
The one cultural item is a clan hat, Xixch'i S'aaxw (Frog Hat), of
the Kiks.adi people of the Sheet'ika. The clan hat (#57.14.08), is
estimated to have been made in the 19th century and is composed of
polychrome alder wood, sea lion whiskers, beads, and yarn; it is
4 5/8 inches high x 14 1/8 inches long x 7 5/8 inches wide. The clan
hat is carved in a "jockey cap" form; the frog on the skull of the hat
is in low raised relief, painted blue, red, and black;
and originally had inlaid abalone shells to represent the eyes. The
bill of the hat is ochre, decorated with sea lion whiskers and bead and
yarn pendants. This clan hat depicts the time of Russian contact.
The hat was purchased by the Minnesota Museum of American Art in
1957 from the Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR, and listed as
#48.3.724,2678 of the Portland Art Museum's Rasmussen collection.
The Portland Museum lists the work as being purchased from Mrs. Billy
Williams, but the Rasmussen collection was developed by Mr. Axel
Rasmussen who was superintendent of schools in Skagway, AK. It is
unclear if there is an association between Mrs. Williams and Mr.
Rasmussen.
Representatives of the Central Council of the Tlinglit & Haida
Indian Tribes, specifically of the Kiks.adi Clan, have
identified this hat as an object of cultural patrimony that is a vital
part of their ongoing ceremonial rites and central to their scared
beliefs, and no single individual could sell or alienate the clan hat.
The clan hat is one of the most significant objects a clan can have and
usually depicts the main crest of the clan, or one of their crests they
are entitled to use, which has both social and religious significance.
Clan hats serve to unify clan members, tie present-day clan members to
their shuka, ancestral clan members, and link the clan member to
the animal crest depicted thereon or the story connected with the hat.
Officials of the Minnesota Museum of American Art have determined
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(D), the cultural item described
above has ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance
central to the Native American group or culture itself, rather than
property owned by an individual. Officials of the Minnesota Museum of
American Art 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 object of cultural patrimony and the Central Council
of the Tlinglit & Haida Indian Tribes.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with this object of cultural patrimony should
contact Eunice Haugen, Registrar and Exhibits Coordinator, Minnesota
Museum of American Art, 50 West Kellogg Boulevard, Suite 341, St. Paul,
Minnesota 55102, telephone 651-266-1033, before April 13, 2006.
Repatriation of the object of cultural patrimony to the Central Council
of the Tlinglit & Haida Indian Tribes may proceed after that date if no
additional claimants come forward.
The Minnesota Museum of American Art is responsible for notifying
Central Council of the Tlinglit & Haida Indian Tribes that this notice
has been published.
Dated: February 15, 2006.
C. Timothy McKeown,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E6-3551 Filed 3-13-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S
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