Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items from Arizona in the Possession of the Arizona State Museum, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 227 (Wednesday, November 25, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65215-65216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31484]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items from Arizona in the 
Possession of the Arizona State Museum, The University of Arizona, 
Tucson, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service

ACTION: Notice

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    Notice is hereby given under the Native American Graves Protection 
and Repatriation Act, 43 CFR 10.10 (a)(3), of the intent to repatriate 
cultural items in the possession of the Arizona State Museum, The 
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ which meets the definition of 
``object of cultural patrimony'' under Section 2 of the Act.
    The eleven cultural items consist of seven Dilzini Gaan headdresses 
and four wands.
    In 1937, museum documentation indicates one headdress was collected 
by G. Mundinger at East Fork, AZ. In 1930, one headdress with wands was 
collected by the Donner family at Whiteriver, AZ; and two headdresses 
and one wand are part of the E.E. Guenther collection of Whiteriver, 
AZ. Around 1970, three wands and three headdresses came to the Arizona 
State Museum from the now-defunct Kinishba Museum near Fort Apache, AZ.
    Museum documentation and consultation with representatives of the 
White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation indicates 
these

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cultural items are White Mountain Apache. Representatives of the White 
Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation state that the 
eleven cultural items have ongoing traditional and cultural importance 
to the tribe itself and could not have been alienated by any 
individual. Information regarding the status of this cultural item is 
being withheld from this notice by the Arizona State Museum at the 
request of the representatives of the White Mountain Apache Tribe of 
the Fort Apache Reservation in order not to compromise the White 
Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation's code of 
religious practice.
    Officials of the Arizona State Museum have determined that, 
pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (d)(4), these eleven cultural items have 
ongoing historical, traditional, and cultural importance central to the 
culture itself, and could not have been alienated, appropriated, or 
conveyed by any individual. Officials of the Arizona State Museum have 
also determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR 10.2 (e), there is a 
relationship of shared group identity which can be reasonably traced 
between these items and the White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort 
Apache Reservation.
    This notice has been sent to officials of the White Mountain Apache 
Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, the Yavapai-Apache Nation of the 
Camp Verde Indian Reservation, the Fort McDowell Mohave-Apache Indian 
Community of the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation, the Tonto Apache 
Tribe, and the San Carlos Apache Tribe of the San Carlos Reservation. 
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to be 
culturally affiliated with these objects should contact Alyce Sadongei, 
Program Coordinator, Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, 
Tucson, AZ 85721; telephone: (520) 621-4609 before December 28, 1998. 
Repatriation of these objects to the White Mountain Apache Tribe of the 
Fort Apache Reservation may begin after that date if no additional 
claimants come forward.
Dated: November 17, 1998.
Veletta Canouts,
Acting Departmental Consulting Archeologist,
Deputy Manager, Archeology and Ethnography Program.
[FR Doc. 98-31484 Filed 11-24-98; 8:45 am]
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