80 FR 32600 - Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Longyear Museum of Anthropology, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 110 (June 9, 2015)

The Longyear Museum of Anthropology, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items should submit a written request to the Longyear Museum of Anthropology. If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 110 (Tuesday, June 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32600-32601]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-14098]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-18274; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP15.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Longyear Museum of 
Anthropology, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Longyear Museum of Anthropology, in consultation with the 
appropriate Indian tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations, has 
determined that the cultural items listed in this notice meet the 
definition of unassociated funerary objects. Lineal descendants or 
representatives of any Indian tribe or Native Hawaiian organization not 
identified in this notice that wish to claim these cultural items 
should submit a written request to the Longyear Museum of Anthropology. 
If no additional claimants come forward, transfer of control of the 
cultural items to the lineal descendants, Indian tribes, or Native 
Hawaiian organizations stated in this notice may proceed.

DATES: Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or 
Native Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to 
claim these cultural items should submit a written request with 
information in support of the claim to the Longyear Museum of 
Anthropology at the address in this notice by July 9, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Dr. Jordan Kerber, Longyear Museum of Anthropology, 
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Colgate University, 13 Oak 
Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346, telephone (315) 228-7559, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 cultural items under the 
control of the Longyear Museum of Anthropology, Colgate University, 
Hamilton, NY, that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects 
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 Native 
American cultural items. The National Park Service is not responsible 
for the determinations in this notice.

History and Description of the Cultural Items

    At an unknown date, 54 cultural items were removed from one or more 
unknown Native American graves at one or more unknown locations in 
Walla Walla County, WA. All of these objects are part of the Hagen 
Collection in the Longyear Museum of Anthropology and were donated to, 
or purchased by, the Longyear Museum of Anthropology on an unknown date 
between 1948 and 1979. The 54 unassociated funerary objects are 53 
tubular copper beads (Longyear Museum of Anthropology Index Number 373, 
Catalog Number A280), which are catalogued as from a ``Cayuse Indian 
grave,'' and one copper pendant (Longyear Museum of Anthropology Index 
Number 377, Catalog Number A284), which is catalogued as from ``a 
Cayuse grave.''
    Consultation was initiated on February 11, 2015, by the Longyear 
Museum of Anthropology with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville 
Reservation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 
Reservation (previously listed as the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Reservation, Oregon). On February 25, 2015, the Confederated 
Tribes of the Colville Reservation notified the Longyear Museum of 
Anthropology and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian 
Reservation that these 54 unassociated funerary objects are not from 
their traditional territory and that they therefore deferred to the 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation concerning the 
repatriation of the objects. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla 
Indian Reservation submitted to the Longyear Museum of Anthropology a 
NAGPRA cultural affiliation claim, in the form of a letter and report 
dated March 13, 2015, requesting to repatriate the 54 unassociated 
funerary objects.
    The information presented in this report indicates that the Walla 
Walla County area of Washington is an area traditionally and 
aboriginally used by the Umatilla Tribes and ceded to the U.S. 
Government following the treaty of 1855. The Umatilla Tribes are direct 
descendant communities of the Wey[iacute]iletpuu (Cayuse), 
Imatalaml[aacute]ma (Umatilla), and Wal[uacute]ulapam (Walla Walla), 
Native people who used the lower Snake River and Columbia River since 
time immemorial, both of which run along the border of Walla Walla 
County. Enrolled members of the Umatilla Tribes have documented that 
their ancestors were buried along the lower Snake and Columbia Rivers. 
These areas have also been important

[[Page 32601]]

habitation, fishing, hunting, and burial areas in continual use by the 
Umatilla Tribes. The report further indicates that the 54 unassociated 
funerary objects are historic, dating within the post-European contact 
era, or since the early 1800s, and that they are typical of personal 
items often buried with the deceased.

Determinations Made by the Longyear Museum of Anthropology

    Officials of the Longyear Museum of Anthropology have determined 
that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 54 cultural items 
described above are reasonably believed to have been placed with or 
near individual human remains at the time of death or later as part of 
the death rite or ceremony and are believed, by a preponderance of the 
evidence, to have been removed from one or more specific burial sites 
of one or more Native American individuals.
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(2), there is a relationship of 
shared group identity that can be reasonably traced between the 
unassociated funerary objects and the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously listed as the Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon).

Additional Requestors and Disposition

    Lineal descendants or representatives of any Indian tribe or Native 
Hawaiian organization not identified in this notice that wish to claim 
these cultural items should submit a written request with information 
in support of the claim to Dr. Jordan Kerber, Longyear Museum of 
Anthropology, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Colgate 
University, 13 Oak Drive, Hamilton, NY 13346, telephone (315) 228-7559, 
email [email protected], by July 9, 2015. After that date, if no 
additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Confederated Tribes of the 
Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously listed as the Confederated 
Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) may proceed.
    The Longyear Museum of Anthropology is responsible for notifying 
the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (previously 
listed as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, Oregon) 
that this notice has been published.

    Dated: May 6, 2015.
Mariah Soriano,
Acting Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-14098 Filed 6-8-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-50-P