82 FR 11643 - Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 36 (February 24, 2017)

The Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke Museum), 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 Burke Museum. 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 82, Number 36 (Friday, February 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11643-11644]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-03605]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-22730; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intent To Repatriate Cultural Items: Thomas Burke 
Memorial Washington State Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Thomas Burke Memorial Washington State Museum (Burke 
Museum), 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

[[Page 11644]]

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 Burke Museum. 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 Burke Museum at the address 
in this notice by March 27, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of Washington, Box 
353010, Seattle, WA 98195, telephone (206) 685-3849, 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 Burke Museum, Seattle, WA, 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

    In the late 19th century, 33 cultural items were removed from an 
unknown location by James T. White from Point Hope, North Slope 
Borough, AK, and later donated to the Burke Museum by his wife in 1904. 
The 33 unassociated funerary objects are 1 wooden mask, 4 ground stone 
tools, 1 lot of earthenware fragments, 1 ivory thimble holder, 1 
needle, 1 needle case, 1 comb, 1 scoop, 1 pipe, 2 pipe bowls, 1 ivory 
tool, 3 ground stone knives, 2 stone points, 2 bone points, 2 harpoon 
heads, 1 scraper blade, 4 harpoon points, 1 lance, 1 sinew rope, and 2 
adzes.
    In the late 19th century, one unassociated funerary object was 
removed from Point Hope, AK. It is believed that this object was also 
removed by James T. White and donated to Young Naturalist Society, who 
then donated it to the Burke Museum in 1904. The one unassociated 
funerary object is one lot of earthenware fragments. These fragments 
are labeled with the same writing and are given similar numbers to the 
other fragments from James T. White.
    The objects were listed in the accession records as being removed 
from ``old Tigarah'' or ``old Eskimo'' graves at Point Hope. The 
objects are consistent with historic and prehistoric material cultural 
from this area and are related to the Inupiat people of the Point Hope 
(Tikigaq, aka Tigara) area (Damas, 1984). The modern day Inupiat 
descendants from Point Hope are members of the Native Village of Point 
Hope.

Determinations Made by the Burke Museum

    Officials of the Burke Museum have determined that:
     Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001(3)(B), the 34 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 a specific burial site of a Native 
American individual.
     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 Native Village of Point Hope.

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 Peter Lape, Burke Museum, University of 
Washington, Box 353010, Seattle, WA 98195, telephone (206) 685-3849, 
email [email protected], by March 27, 2017. After that date, if no 
additional claimants have come forward, transfer of control of the 
unassociated funerary objects to the Native Village of Point Hope may 
proceed.
    The Burke Museum is responsible for notifying the Native Village of 
Point Hope that this notice has been published.

    Dated: January 11, 2017.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2017-03605 Filed 2-23-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4312-52-P